Bill
by Sarifina85
Summary: He was sent on a simple mission, to secure a human. How was he to know that nothing in his life would ever be simple again? Love or loath him, but do you understand him? The SVM story told from Bill's POV.
1. A New Proposal

Note:

To those who are looking for my continuation of _The Funeral of Hearts_ which will be Sookie's version of things, I am working on it, and am about halfway done. I apologize that it is taking me so long. Eric's voice, and version really spoke to me, mostly writing itself in about 2 hours, but Sookie, as usual is proving more stubborn. I have a hard time getting into her voice, but I think as a professional writer myself, I mostly have trouble with it because that is how the series is written, and part of me feels like I'd be stepping on Harris's toes if I don't get it just right. (I'm probably just being too much of a perfectionist and need to just let it flow, but it is coming, just hang in there.) I think I needed to step away from it and write something else to get it flowing again.

This story has been gnawing at me for quite some time now. I love the fan fics that are out there that tell Eric's side of the story, and there is one excellent one out there already that tells the story from Bill's POV in _True Blood_. (Please look them all up!) But I've been wanting to try one for Bill told strictly from the books. SO, for Bill fans, beware, this is not _True Blood's_ heroic version of him AND for Eric fans beware, I'm not telling the antagonistic version of Bill that most fan fics seem to portray him as either.

Personally, in the books, I'm a team Eric fan all the way, BUT I really do think Bill gets a pretty raw deal with most Eric-loving fan fic authors out there. I don't see Bill as the moustache-twirling, archetypical bad guy. I also don't see him as the love struck puppy dog and ultimate good guy I think _True Blood_ is making him out to be. I would like to think of this story as an exploration of who Bill really is, and how he develops throughout the books, the good, and the bad.

I do think that eventually, Bill did come to love Sookie, with all of whatever heart a vampire has. THAT SAID, I also think it took quite a while for Bill to _really_ come to love Sookie, not just like her, covet her, or play at loving her. I think he pretended for a long time before he actually did love her. SO, along with the development of the character of Bill, I also see this story as exploring, at least in my opinion, when it was that Bill came to love Sookie, along with all of the mistakes he makes along the way.

Take this story for what it is, Bill's point of view (in my opinion). I will not be changing any plot points, and of course using provided dialogue from the books.

Like I said, I'm team Eric, and at least right now, hope Sookie ends up with him, BUT I hope that as the readers, if you've had reservations about Bill, or flat out hated him, that you can read this with an open mind, and find some redemption in the end for Bill and the choices he makes, even his poor choices.

If you do like Bill, or at least understand him, well, I hope you can enjoy my version of how and why things come about on his side of the story.

Of course, everything belongs to Harris; let's just call this an experimentation on my part to play with a character that so many people seem to love to hate ;)

Please let me know what you think so far!

Enjoy!

Note 2: (May 9, 2010) I am reworking the current chapters to reflect the new information from _Dead in the Family_. They're really not that big, but I figured I'd go back and make the changes now, they really aren't big spoilers, so if you haven't read book 10 yet, it's not a big deal.

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Chapter 1: A New Proposal

I kept my head bowed low in deference to the vampire seated on the throne in front of me as she considered my request. I hoped she would be forward thinking enough to see the value in my proposal and not dismiss it out of hand. I am still considered a young vampire among our kind, so am not often taken seriously by the older vampires. I knew my venture had merit, but as Queen Sophie-Anne Leclerq was the first vampire monarch that I had ever met in my undead life, I wanted her to see the merit as well.

I had been brought to the palace in New Orleans by my maker shortly after my turning. I had known nothing of this new dark life I had begun, and like many new vampires was frightened by the new world I found myself in. I clung to my maker, Lorena, as the only thing with even an ounce of familiarity in my new life.

I had begged Lorena to let us stay near Bon Temps, near my family, so that even if I could not live with my family, I could still watch them from afar. But, Lorena ordered me to follow her to New Orleans. I knew in the end it was likely better this way. Better to walk away than watch my loved ones from the shadows and worry that I might not be able to control myself and hurt them.

Walking away from them had been the hardest thing to do in my new vampire life.

Killing came more easily to me than I could have ever thought it would. I had been a soldier in my human life, so taking life was not new to me. Drinking the blood of another was harder and somewhat disconcerting at first, but the feeling and taste of fresh blood to a new vampire is beyond compare.

Part of me loathed what I had become, and loathed Lorena for making me this way, but at the same time a new part of me, the vampire part of me, loved her for every new thing she made me feel. The blood, the sex, the violence, all of the beautiful decadence that is being a creature of the night was opened to me through her. And she showed it all to me.

Together Lorena and I spent several years in New Orleans as guests of the Queen of Louisiana. My maker had become close to Sophie-Anne shortly after she parted ways with her own maker. Sophie-Anne had taught her the world of vampire politics. Even as a newly turned vampire, I had felt Sophie-Anne's power and was awed by it. I clung to my maker even more and often tried to avoid speaking to the eternally youthful queen as much as I could.

I learned later in my life that in my awe of the queen, by avoiding speaking to her and deferring to her, I had actually impressed her with my "charming manners" as she called it. In my human life, I had never known anything as commanding as Sophie-Anne was, so in my lack of comprehending her, I showed absolute deference. In my early vampire life, it may have been one-step above cowering before beings more powerful than me, but it taught me a valuable lesson, even the most ancient of vampires can be charmed by deference and "charming manners" as Sophie-Anne called them.

After my maker released me, many years after my making, I traveled the world, searching for a better understanding of what it is to be vampire. Though vampires do have their limitations, it was still more freeing than my human life had been. Money was no longer a problem, if I needed money to travel somewhere, I simply glamoured a human into giving me theirs.

I traveled the world and met with many vampires who told me of their existence and of themselves. It often only took a little politeness and interest to get even some of the oldest vampires to tell stories about themselves.

"You want to create a database of vampires around the world," Sophie-Anne finally said in acknowledgement of my idea. She waved her hand imperiously at the nearly empty throne-room, as if to say she was not interested, but I have studied even the subtlest of nuances among our kind, and I saw the flicker of interest in her eyes before they became a mask of boredom.

"In the beginning, your majesty, it would be a database comprised of the vampires of America. But one day, I do hope to complete one of the vampires around the world, yes," I responded, once again dipping my head in deference, knowing how it stroked Sophie-Anne's ego and pride to do so.

"Hmmm," Sophie-Anne purred as she thought it over. "And what is it you need from me? Influence to make other vampires talk and tell you their history?" she questioned.

"No, your majesty, I already have perhaps two-thirds of the vampires in this country cataloged."

Sophie-Anne raised her eyebrows at this, a large reaction for one as old as she, "You have so much completed already?" she asked in astonishment. "My, you have been productive young William. If you have done so much already, what do you require?" She was more than intrigued now, though the thoughtful look on her face made me wonder what other designs she had for me.

"Yes, I have many files worth of notes, and even drawings and pictures that could go along with the database," I replied, then braced myself for what my real request was. "I do however, need a residence, somewhere to settle down in and work on compiling my notes, and actually creating the database. I also need some financial backing to purchase better equipment for creating the software needed. Someone, such as yourself, with power and influence would be needed to market my work once it is completed as well. As I said before, I think this has an excellent chance at being a huge money earner for your kingdom. Every monarch would be envious of this product which would be yours."

Living in the open, among the humans did have some drawbacks, many in the opinion of some vampires, but it also made getting money from humans more difficult. With all of the advancements in technology, it was more difficult to glamour money from humans without someone being able to trace it. Because of this, I now needed safer ways of acquiring funds for my project.

Sophie-Anne smiled showing fang, then asked, "Then why am I the monarch that you come to? Why do you grant _me_ with this wonderful asset?"

"My maker has great trust in you, and a great fondness for you. My home was once in Louisiana, and when I considered where I would want to set up shop, so to speak for this project, I of course thought of you and New Orleans," I answered, for the most part truthfully. Part of me dreaded being home in Louisiana again, where my human life had been. But, I knew this project of mine might be dangerous as well, and I hoped Sophie-Anne would offer some protection. She was known to be quite cunning, but also very ruthless when it came to protecting her assets.

Sophie-Anne studied me for a time, and then said with a sly smile on her young face, "William, William, William. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Do you think me foolish? Or think that I would not see the danger in your little project as well? You come to me in hopes that I shall offer you shelter and protection should the wrong vampires find out about your work too soon and seek to stop you, or seek to take your work from you," the queen said as she stood and came closer to me. I remained absolutely still, and gave no reaction with my face, my simple cool facade, perfected over many years, firmly in place.

After the queen had slowly circled me several times and stopped once again in front of me, I answered with a slight smile, "That too, of course, your majesty. It could be very dangerous if the wrong vampires find out about the project before we are ready to market it, but the potential value of this database would far outweigh the dangers I think," I answered in a steady voice, and hoped Sophie-Anne would agree with me and see the potential.

"You share some similarities with your maker and myself, don't you?" Sophie-Anne suddenly asked.

"Excuse me?" Her question caught me off guard and left me slightly confused.

"Your abilities," Sophie-Anne said with a wave of her hand in my direction, "you hold some sway over others do you not? How else did you get vampires who have spent hundreds and even thousands of years living in secret to give you precious information about themselves?"

I went completely still with fear. Though I had never been able to completely control vampires, it was true that with some finessing, I had found that vampires tended to let their guard down around me and tell me secrets they would tell no other. A very dangerous ability to have among our kind, that is if you wished to remain among the undead.

Sophie-Anne must have seen the slight look of fear in my eyes, because she smiled at her advantage and continued, "Oh, have no fear dear William. As you know, I am able to enthrall my children to me, keeping them from ever leaving my side," she explained with a flourish of her hand towards her favorite child, Andre, the only other vampire in the room, and continued, "and Lorena could command your devotion to her when you were at her side. It is no shock to me, that you would have some abilities to enthrall others as well. Dangerous, though it might be," she said smiling toothily.

"Tell me, dear William," she said as she once again took her seat on her throne. "Does your gift work with humans as well?" she asked with feigned disinterest, but I could see the true significance in her eyes, even if I could not place why it would matter.

"Yes," I answered cautiously, "it has always been quite easy to glamor and influence humans to my wishes." I could not see what this had to do with anything, but forced myself to wait for the queen to reveal her intent.

Sophie-Anne studied me once more, then leaned forward and said, "Yes, I think you would do quite nicely for a little project I have in mind." Her sly smile returned as she sat back in her throne and continued, "Yes, you were even from Bon Temps originally, were you not? It is almost like fate, no?" she asked turning to Andre. As ever, Andre remained silent, but did incline his head in the affirmative with an equally toothy smile to match his maker's.

My curiosity got the better of me, "What does Bon Temps have to do with anything, your majesty?"

"I will accept your fealty to me, and offer you financing for your project, along with my protection, if ... if, you do something for me. Your proposal of a database does have potential, and done correctly, I do agree it could be profitable. But in return for my own generous help to you, and to prove your loyalty to me, I will offer you another proposal," Sophie-Anne said, motioning me closer.

The excitement of finally being able to move ahead with my project drove me forward and eagerly to my knees before my new queen, "What would you have me do, my queen?" I asked, savoring calling this powerful vampire, my queen.

A devious smile overtook Sophie-Anne's face, "What do you remember of the Stackhouse family when you lived in Bon Temps?"

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A/N: Thanks for reading so far! Please let me know what you think.

I have no idea how long most chapters will turn out to be, most will probably be longer. This did seem kind of short, but I think it was a good place to end it for the set-up of the story. I'm already working on chapter 2, so it should be up in a day or two. Also, I won't have a bunch of long notes at the beginning of every chapter ;)

I just felt the need to try and get some things straight before I had a bunch of angry Eric-loving or Bill-loving fans running after me with literary pitchforks shouting their love for their favorite character and their hate for the "bad" character, lol. Personally, I don't think there are any truly "bad" or "evil" characters, just different points of view and different sides of the story.


	2. First Meeting

Well, damn, I guess it's technically three days now. Oh well. I wanted to get it just right.

Hope you guys enjoy!

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Chapter 2: First Meeting

I cautiously looked around the old home that had once been mine. Much had changed over the years, and yet it still looked very much like the place I once called home with my wife and children. Electricity had been added at some point, but was in dire need of updating, if not being completely replaced. The same could be said for much of the house.

My descendent, Jessie Compton, had recently passed away, and as he had no descendents himself, ownership of the land reverted to me. While he had been an old man, I had no doubt in my mind who was actually responsible for his very timely death. Queen Sophie-Anne told me that by the time I was done purchasing needed supplies for my database in New Orleans, that the arrangements for my return to Bon Temps would have been taken care of. The last night at the palace, I was informed I would be returning to my human home, and that she would see to it that the land reverted back to me. The red tape that should have been involved, appeared to be nonexistent, but I knew in this case, she had dealt with that matter as well. Apparently, it _was_ good to be the Queen.

A small part of me wondered if I should be bothered that my queen had killed one of my descendants so that I could live closer to this Stackhouse girl, but by and large, most of me simply did not care. I told myself he had been old for a human anyway, and it was likely more merciful that he received an earlier demise than he may have intended.

Stepping further into the house, and noticing just how much it truly would cost to restore this house to more habitable conditions, I actually wondered if he hadn't received mercy, while I was being punished for some reason. Having to seduce, what was according to her cousin, some half-wit human, should have been punishment enough for whatever my crime had been.

I argued (for a short time anyway) with Sophie-Anne about living elsewhere, as I had no desire to take up residence in my family home. The queen had been adamant however, that living in such close proximity to the human girl would give me more of an advantage in gaining her trust and loyalty. I was indeed loath at having to lower myself to seducing a human, but if this request was what it took to gain Sophie-Anne's loyalty, I would do my assigned task, and as quickly as possible.

I wandered around my re-found home, taking mental notes of the things that needed to be done, and what supplies I would need. My mind kept wandering back to my discussion with the queen's newest child. It was her cousin I had been sent to Bon Temps for.

Hadley was rather unremarkable, in my own opinion, though she had somehow garnered enough attention from the queen to earn a lifetime at her side. I had spent my last several nights at the palace compound, going over with the girl just what she could remember of her cousin.

I was determined to do this task as quickly and as efficiently as possible so that I could move on to my real project. From Hadley's description of her cousin, the girl seemed simpleminded and slow-witted, possibly even a bit crazy. Hadley claimed at any rate, that she was at least fair to the eye, and I could only hope Hadley was correct and I was not only stuck with a human, but an ugly one on top of it.

The girl supposedly worked as a barmaid at the local tavern, so apparently the girl had little ambition. This, in part, made me wonder about the validity of Hadley's claim that the girl was psychic or something similar. Why a girl with any such powers would maintain such a lowly life was beyond me. Perhaps Hadley was merely trying to maintain the queen's interest in her. I had also considered that if the girl did prove to be special in some way, that it would at least partially explain why the queen was willing to tie the Hadley to herself for eternity. It might then prove to be a good gamble in insuring the cousin's complicity.

With one last sigh as I took in my newfound home, I decided that there was no time like the present, to begin my assignment. I had not fed this night, instead driving straight from New Orleans when the sun set, and as the girl worked at a bar, I decided one way or another I could find my sustenance for the night.

After leaving my home, I made my way to the bar. Merlotte's, it was called. I made a quick circuit around the property of the bar, but it appeared to be a simple backwater tavern. Nothing seemed to stand out, but my last conversation with the queen replayed in my head, as a wonderful smell near the back of the bar caught my attention.

"You will gain the girl's loyalty for me, give her your blood if necessary, bond her if you absolutely must, though I would rather save that task for myself, but _do not turn that girl_. I have many plans for her in the years to come, and such abilities as she might have rarely survive the turning. If she proves useful, I may someday risk her turning, but she _will_ be my child. Are we understood?" Sophie-Anne had stated.

Though I could not understand why she would think I would want this simpleton attached to myself for eternity, let alone give her the gift of my blood, I knew better than to tell her this. I had simply bowed and said, "Of course, my queen."

The back of the bar had the normal myriad of smells, but also mixed in was the stink of a shifter. The air held the delicate aroma of something much better than anything else I had ever encountered as well, and I could not help but wonder if it was from the girl I was meant to ensnare.

Perhaps this task would not be as much of a hardship as I feared.

I made my way back around to the front of the bar and entered the smoky atmosphere. I followed the delicious smell to the area of the bar where it was most concentrated, and took a seat, hoping that the wonderful smell indeed belonged to the Stackhouse girl.

As I looked up to where the smell was coming from near the bar, I was stunned to see that the smell did emanate from the Stackhouse girl Hadley had described. She was nothing like I imagined. A bright smile lit up her lovely face. The bartender, and I presumed the owner as well, appeared to be the shifter I smelt, and while no one else in the bar seemed to recognize what I was, the shifter did if I went by the scowl on his face.

The girl stopped in front of me and asked brightly, "What can I get you?"

The shifter continued to scowl at me from behind the bar, and I wondered at the girl's apparent excitement. Did every new stranger excite her so? Perhaps Hadley was more correct than I thought and she was simpleminded. I wondered what her reaction would be when she realized I was vampire. "Do you have the bottled synthetic blood?" I questioned keeping my voice low and even.

The girl did not skip a beat and answered just as brightly, "No, I'm so sorry! Sam's got some on order. Should be in next week."

"Then red wine, please," I asked. I could not drink the beverage, but at least it would give me an excuse to sit and observe the girl for a time before I had to find alternative of some sort before my thirst became too strong.

The girl gave a small laugh, and I wondered at her not being surprised at my choice of beverage. Did she know the instant I walked in that I was a vampire as her boss, this Sam had?

"Don't mind, Sookie, mister, she's crazy," said a greasy human man from a booth across from me. I did not move my eyes from the girl, and watched as the smile faded from her face to a more determined look.

The girl ignored the opinion of the human as well and replied to me, "I'll get your wine right away," then returned to the bar.

When she returned with the glass of wine, she placed it quite carefully on the table in front of me. My eyes had not left her form, studying what this creature before me was, and how best to go about gaining her trust.

After staring into my eyes for a time, she said in her again bright voice, "Enjoy!"

I was tempted to glamour the girl into sitting with me for a time, especially with her looking me so willingly in the eye, but before I could decide, the greasy human's voice rang out again.

"Hey, Sookie! We need another pitcher of beer here!"

The girl gave a tired sigh, and took the empty beer pitcher from the human's table and returned to the bar with it. As the girl filled the pitcher and returned it, I let my gaze turn from the girl to the greasy human and his companion.

The human and his female companion were nothing special, normal small town trash, but I could see their interest in the fact that I was a vampire. The couple soon made their way over to my table and sat down without an invitation. If I had not been interested in an easy meal, I would have told them their impertinence in joining my table uninvited was not welcomed.

They made small talk for a time, asking if I was new to the area and such, though I responded as little as possible. All the while, the female kept drawing my attention to her neck and arching it towards me. It was very apparent that this woman, and likely this man were fangbangers, hoping that I would bite and sleep with one or perhaps both of them. Nothing was appetizing about either human, but I had not fed yet, and the smell of the Stackhouse girl was nearly overwhelming my senses.

As the bar became busier, my thirst grew to an uncomfortable level. I wanted to grab the girl and find out if her blood was as wonderful as her smell, but I knew I couldn't give in to my thirst now. The couple began to make veiled offers of blood and sex, and finally I decided that I had observed the girl long enough for the first night. I left the bar with the couple and walked to a wooded area away from the parking lot with them. I had certainly fed in worse places than this, and the woman was more than willing.

I let myself focus on the woman in front of me, who was more than willing to be my meal. Such strange times it had become. Who would have guessed vampires would now come to feed nightly on willing humans.

Just before I could sink my fangs into the woman before me, I felt the searing pain of silver slip around my neck from behind.

Drainers!

I had walked right into their trap! How could I be so stupid!

The pain of the silver burning my skin was overwhelming, allowing the man and woman to push me to the ground and drape my arms and legs in the rest of the length of silver chain. The woman made quick work of fitting my arm with a tourniquet and beginning to draw blood. My fangs were still distended in pain, and though I hissed at the drainers, they ignored me and continued their work silently. They were obviously not new to this line of work.

Suddenly, the man pitched forward as he was struck from behind. My eyes darted to the human that had attacked him. I was shocked to see the Stackhouse girl wielding a length of chain. The woman seemed unfazed though, and moved onto filling a third Vacutainer. The blood loss was not substantial yet, but mixed with my previous hunger, was causing my bloodlust to rise to dangerous levels.

The man had jumped up, pulling out a knife, which he brandished at the girl.

"Uh-oh!" the girl said, though she grinned at the man.

"You crazy bitch!" the man screamed. Though I was thankful for the girl's efforts, I was inclined to agree with him.

The man jumped at the girl, trying and narrowly missing slicing the girl in the arm. At the same time, the chain the girl swung, wrapped tightly around the man's neck, cutting off his air supply. He quickly dropped to his knees, trying to find a grasp on the chain to loosen it. The woman finally seemed to realize her predicament and dove for the dropped knife, but stopped in her tracks when the girl grabbed it first. She cursed for some time before the Stackhouse girl spoke.

In a resolute voice she said, "Get. Out. Now."

The woman tried to grab the vials of blood that she had collected but left them when the girl yelled at her to leave them.

After a tense moment of staring, the woman finally pulled her companion to his feet and drug him towards a dented red sports car. The girl stared after them for a time, but when the car fired up, and started towards us, she seemed to realize I was still helpless to move. As the woman drove towards us, the girl grabbed at my shoulders and pulled backwards into the trees while shouting, "Push with your feet!" I didn't need to be told twice. Being run over by the car would not be fatal, but coupled with the blood loss, would be very painful. I could only offer a little help, but pushed as much as I could to help.

We barely made it back far enough for my feet to be missed by the tires of the car. "Oh, wow," the girl exclaimed as she knelt beside me. The silver was still burning into my flesh, and I wanted to get her to focus her attention back on me and remove it, but I steeled myself, and forced myself to give her a moment more to calm herself.

"Oh, you poor thing," she cried when she seemed to finally take in the smoke coming from my burning skin. She slowly, and almost tenderly, began to pull the silver from my skin, while whispering, "Poor baby." It was disconcerting to say the least to be referred to as a baby by this girl, but I still remained silent. I think in part I was still in shock that this human girl would risk her life for a vampire she had not even had a conversation with, let alone known.

When my arms were released, I cradled them to my chest, feeling them slowly heal. I wanted nothing more than the grab this girl, and replace the blood that was lost, but she had rendered me great aid. It didn't seem right somehow to feed from her without her permission. A disturbing thought in itself.

"I'm sorry I didn't get here faster," she apologized. Now that the pain was receding, my mind was coming back to me. How had she known that there was trouble? Had she _known_ something was going to happen? "You'll feel better in a minute, right? Do you want me to leave?" she continued.

I immediately shook my head no, then truthfully added, "They might come back, and I can't fight yet."

I began to remove the tourniquet and tried to right myself as best as I could. The girl crouched down a little ways away from me on the pavement with her back to me. Eventually I regained enough strength to sit up and I silently studied the girl for a time.

_How did she know? And why would she take such a great risk to help someone she did not know? A vampire she did not know._

I moved closer to the girl and savored her scent. I restrained myself with some difficulty and kept from grabbing her and feeding. She turned around and seemed startled by my closeness. I knew she had risked herself to help me, so I told her as evenly as I could, "Thank you." It was not easing thanking a human, let alone a female for coming to my rescue.

She seemed almost disappointed for a moment, and then, after a time of looking at me carefully said, "Oh," she struggled for a second, and then continued, "I _can't hear you_."

I had not spoken loudly, but surely, the girl had heard me. In an exaggerated fashion I repeated, "Thank you!"

"No, no … I can hear you speak, but …" she stopped speaking again and carefully placed both of her hands on either side of my face. With her arms encasing me, it was really becoming a trial to keep from grabbing her and having my way. Perhaps I still could. I could always glamour the memory away once my thirst was slaked.

Just when I thought that perhaps I would have the girl, she snatched her hands back and said with a great deal of embarrassment, "Oh, excuse me."

_What was that?_ I wondered. My mind still felt sluggish, and her words made no sense. Did this have to do with whatever her ability was? It was becoming more apparent that she could do something. Whether she was psychic, or something else, I still didn't know.

"Mack and Denise aren't real good people, and they were acting real suspicious when they were leaving the bar with you, so I figured I better come out here to see how you were," she said in a hurried and babbling way.

_Did she know that I wondered how she came to be out here? Did she hear my thoughts?_ I wondered. I decided to push it aside for now.

"You came out here to rescue me. It was brave," I told her in a seductive voice, delighting when I saw the slightest shiver.

"Now you cut that out," she said with sass.

For a moment, I was surprised but I quickly masked it and asked her a sensible question, "Aren't you afraid to be alone with a hungry vampire?" I asked, my mind once again wandering back to the claims about the girl being simple or crazy. Perhaps she was.

"Nope," she said matter-of-factly.

I decided that maybe the girl could use a bit of a scare, or at least a wake-up call about vampires and our nature. "Are you assuming that since you came to my rescue that you're safe, that I harbor an ounce of sentimental feeling after all these years? Vampires often turn on those who trust them. We don't have human values, you know," I said also in a matter-of-fact manner.

"A lot of humans turn on those who trust them," she pointed out. Maybe she knew more than most gave her credit for. "I'm not a total fool," she said holding out her arm, and turning her neck to reveal the length of chain protectively wrapped around them.

I shivered at the thought of them against my own neck and arms. I decided not to let her think she had proven anything. A vampire would always find a way after all. "But there's a juicy artery in your groin."

"Don't you talk dirty," she snapped. "I won't listen to that."

I regarded her for a while. It was almost surprising in this day and age to come upon a girl who would demand a man not "talk dirty" to her. I was surprised that she still seemed to have no fear of me and studied me as openly as I studied her.

The girl had saved me great pain, and likely saved me from my second death. As much as I hated it, I did owe her. She had not been receptive to my offer of thanks. _What does she want then? Why would she risk herself for me?_ I thought.

A thought suddenly came to me, I was still uncomfortable with it, but I was beginning to think Sophie-Anne had been right, and I should get some of my blood into the girl. I had never given my blood to anyone but my maker, but it might be interesting to feel what this girl was feeling. Maybe I could gain some understanding of her and what her thoughts were. It might be easier to hold her to my sway, it didn't seem to be working tonight, but then again, I was weakened, and I hadn't tried to glamour her yet.

"Would you like to drink the blood they collected? It would be a way for me to show my gratitude," I said gesturing to the vials of blood. "My blood is supposed to improve your sex life and your health," I continued, somehow oddly hoping that she would say yes. She was a curious creature, but somehow I knew she would turn the blood down.

"I'm healthy as a horse," she said with a shrug. "And I have no sex life to speak of. You do what you want with it."

I hid my surprise at her response. Surely, this girl was striking enough to attract a bedmate if she were to so choose. Strangely, I found I wanted this girl to have some sort of benefit for her help to me. "You could sell it," I said.

I was surprised at the look of insult on her face, "I wouldn't touch it," she said.

More and more curious.

"You're different," I stated. "What are you?" It seemed more and more likely that she was psychic or something other. She was certainly no plain human.

"Well. I'm Sookie Stackhouse, and I'm a waitress," she said easily, too easily. "What's your name?"

_Sookie, her cousin and the queen told me the name when they spoke of her, but coming from her lips, it sounds so much sweeter._ I shook myself from the strange thought and answered simply, "Bill."

Sookie rocked back with laughter and exclaimed, "The vampire Bill! I thought it might be Antoine, or Basil, or Langford! Bill!" I rolled my eyes at her naivety.

_We can't all have interesting names like you, Sookie,_ I thought. But she continued before I could speak, "Well, see ya, Bill. I got to get back to work."

Somewhat surprisingly, she put her hand on my shoulder and pushed down on it until she was standing. I helped push her upwards, but she only looked slightly surprised at my help. _Doesn't she understand how scared most people are of vampires? How unwilling they are to touch us?_

She dusted herself off and simply walked back into the bar without another look back. I was left standing in wonder of Sookie. She was nothing like what I had anticipated. My curiosity of her made me almost look forward to this task.

I picked the vials of blood up and drank them, returning my blood to my body and gaining back some of my strength. I was still very thirsty, so I decided to leave and find another willing donor. This time I would glamor them in a more secure location, _before_ I fed. _I won't be caught off guard like that again._

_Sookie … what a strange girl. I suppose, if I must degrade myself by entrapping a human to myself, at least she has proven somewhat useful, is easy on the eye, and shown to be interesting. I guess it won't be a total waste of my time. Maybe I can get her to let me drink from her soon and see if her blood is as good as her smell. _

As I ran from the bar to my car, I decided to drive into Shreveport to find someone to glamor and feed on. Tomorrow night I would have to return to Shreveport and check-in with the area Sherriff. Technically, I should have done it tonight, but my eagerness to start my task had swayed me from protocol. I would wait and do it tomorrow though, when I was feeling back to top strength. The Viking was no fool, and I wanted to be on guard when I went to check-in with him.

As I drove down the road, berating myself for letting my first meeting with Sookie turn into such a fiasco, I wondered how I could turn it to my benefit.

_Every mistake you make is an opportunity for your advantage, if you know how to manipulate the results of the mistake,_ Lorena had said. My maker taught me well. This first meeting didn't go as planned, but our next would.

I smiled to myself as my plan took form, and I sped even faster towards my next meal. _Oh yes, our next meeting will go my way, Sookie. You'll be in my thrall soon enough. _

* * *

Please let me know what you think and leave a review!


	3. Plans That Don't Go Quite As Planned

**Chapter 3: Plans That Don't Go Quite As Planned**

I sat in the crowded bar at Fangtasia, awaiting my turn to see the area sheriff. My mind should have been on what I would tell the sheriff when he interviewed me about living in his area, but all I could think of was my plans for Sookie.

It was the duty of every area sheriff to know what went on in their area, at least anything that involved vampires or other supernaturals. This included knowing what every vampire in their area was doing, where they were living, etc. It also meant vampires wishing to move into the area had to be approved of by the sheriff before they were allowed to do so. This was even more important since the Great Revelation. Area sheriffs were now charged with ensuring the vampires in their area did not draw the wrong kind of attention to our kind.

Sophie-Anne had made it quite clear to me that I was not to involve the sheriff in our dealings. Why she was circumventing her sheriff seemed odd to me. Any dealings in this area should involve the sheriff, but the Queen was the ultimate authority, so things would be done her way. I had made a slight attempt at asking the queen why she expressly wished to cut her sheriff out of our plan, but she had not reacted favorably to the question.

"_Because I wish it_," she had declared with venom in her voice.

I had dipped my head in deference to her, not daring to utter a word.

Her voice softened, and she offered some explanation, "I wish to test your loyalty. I want to see if your loyalty is to _me_," she said. "The Viking is a wonderful sheriff to me and more than competent, but he always seems to amass great loyalty from his underlings, and he is known to be a great lover of women," she continued with a coy smile. "If this girl proves to be of worth, as my dear Hadley claims, I want her for myself. I _do not_ want the Viking to take an interest in her and claim her for his own. He is the only vampire in my kingdom around my own age, and therefore the only vampire who could keep me from claiming the girl for myself. _I want that girl!_"

My mind cleared as I took in the sight of the blond vampire coming towards me. I knew she was the child of the Viking, but she had not been with him when my maker first brought me through the area after my turning.

"The sheriff will see you now," the blond, Pam if I remembered right, said in a bored tone as she turned around to lead the way towards the back of the bar, where I assumed was an office.

As we entered the office, I took in the sight of the formidable vampire seated before me. I nodded my head to the vampire saying, "Sheriff."

Eric eyed me for a time, and then motioned towards the chair in front of his desk for me to take a seat. Pam remained in the room, and as his child, I assumed she was his second as well.

"You wish to reside in my area," Eric said simply, as though he were bored with this tedious job. I wondered to myself if perhaps he truly was bored, and this was not a façade, as his child employed when speaking.

"Yes, I do," I said, deciding to answer as simply as the sheriff asked his question.

"Why?"

"Since the Great Revelation has opened new possibilities to us, I wish to mainstream, and live among the humans again," I answered. Of course, this was not true, but I hoped Eric would find it plausible enough. To get the girl under my thumb, I would need to start out acting as humanly as possible, and slowly begin introducing her to vampire culture to prepare her for the queen. Appearing to mainstream would suit my purposes well with the girl, so it would not appear to be a lie to the sheriff.

Eric raised an eyebrow, his only movement as he studied me, "Why here?" he asked in a slightly accented voice. Though he had lived in this country for longer than I had been alive, he had only recently finished learning English. He spoke many languages, but like many older vampires, still held the belief that English was an uncouth language. When my maker had brought me before him after my turning, they had spoken in French, which was still somewhat common in Louisiana, and Eric had only spoken a few sentences to me in broken English, ignoring me mostly and speaking to my maker instead.

"I lived here when I was human, and wish to return to my home," I again answered simply.

Leaning forward, Eric pressed his fingertips together and considered me with his head slightly cocked to the side. This was not going as I had planned. He seemed too interested in me, and was questioning me far more than I had anticipated. "No vampire as young as yourself would wish to return to the home of their human life. Why do you?"

"As you say, I am young, and I wish to return to a life I am familiar with, and live among people I am familiar with." I hoped this would suffice as an answer, I should have better anticipated his swift and apt perception. One did not live over 1,000 years without being perceptive after all.

Eric continued to study me, looking for anything that would give me away, but I had spent all of my young vampire life learning to maintain my own cool façade, to keep from giving anything away. "Somehow I find that I do not quite believe you, Compton, but I cannot fathom why you would be lying to me. Believe me when I tell you that I will find out what you are hiding from me," he said in a chilly voice. Then he leaned back and seemed to relax, though I was not foolish enough to believe that this was a vampire who ever let his guard down. "You already have the blessing of the queen to settle in my area, and have spent time in her court, so I have no choice but to approve your relocation to my area. What is it you plan to do to pay your dues to your sheriff and your area?"

Every vampire owed fealty to their kingdom through their sheriff, and was responsible for paying a percentage of their income from whatever endeavors they were involved with to that sheriff who then sent it on to their monarch, minus a small percentage for themselves of course.

"I have some wealth acquired since my turning, and I plan to invest in some properties, perhaps a few businesses even to further my wealth," I replied easily. This was not at all uncommon among our kind, managing properties and businesses was easy for vampires, especially now that we were out in the open. Humans feared us and so were quick to do our bidding and not cross us.

Eric nodded as if expecting this, then asked the question I had dreaded. "Why did you not check-in last night after you got in from New Orleans, as would have been prudent?"

I knew that the Viking had a reputation for always knowing what went on in his area, so I should not have been surprised that he knew when I had entered his area. This did not bode well for me; I would have to tread carefully to keep Sookie out of his reach if I was to follow the queen's bidding. "I apologize sheriff, I had intended to come see you last night, but was detained. I had decided to explore the area I wished to make my home, and watching the locals took longer than I had anticipated." This was not strictly a lie, Sookie was the only local I was interested in, and I had been detained.

Eric gave no indication as to even hearing my answer, but he eventually sent me away with a wave of his hand saying, "I always know what goes on in my area, Compton. I will expect your tithe to me by the end of every month." And with that, I was dismissed as Eric began to pour over paperwork on his desk. I wondered at his statement. _Did he know what had happened the night before, or did he only want me to believe I was being closely watched?_

As I walked through the bar, I noticed it was teeming with humans desperate for a vampire to feed from them and fuck them. They all seemed pathetic in their dark makeup and clothing, but they were convenient. I looked through the bar for a human who might not be too distasteful. Almost all of the humans had dyed black hair, and tonight I found myself wanting to taste a blond. As I scanned the bar in vain for a blond, I caught myself, _Why would I prefer a blond to any other human. I've never cared much before what they looked like._ Sookie's image floated through my mind's eye. This thought unsettled me. With great determination, I grabbed the first dark-haired fangbanger I saw, and glamored her into taking me to her home for a feed and fuck.

* * *

As I drove back to Bon Temps from Shreveport, I found myself once again thinking back to the night before. I knew, without a doubt in my mind, that Sookie was something other than an ordinary human. Part of me wondered if I should report this much to the queen, but I once again decided against it. I would wait until I had carried out my plan and had the girl tied to myself first.

I could not explain, even to myself, this sudden need to give this girl my blood and tie her to me. I had planned to spend as little time as possible on the girl and turn her over to the queen as quickly as I could.

But now … now something drove me to wanting to spend more time on her, to find out what she was. She was an intriguing creature, and I will admit quite beautiful. I couldn't wait to sink my fangs into her and get my first taste of her blood. I was sure it was as sweet as her smell.

After I had fed from several women last night to return my strength, I had returned to Bon Temps to locate the two humans who had tried to drain me. It had only been very early in the morning, only hours from dawn, so there were not very many humans still awake. I had found two teenage boys sneaking back to their homes, probably after a long night of mischief. It was easy to glamor them into telling me where I could find Mack and Denise Rattray, apparently they were known in the area for supplying many forms of drugs, not just V.

It took very little time to find the trailer house that the boys had described. The trailer house was empty, so I spent some time assessing the area. I hoped that the humans would return soon, so that I could put my plan in motion and return home for the coming day. Fortunately, the humans returned home, the man unsurprisingly looking the worse for wear. As I hid in the shadows, waiting for them to exit their car, I felt a slight smile tug at my lips as I took in the damage that Sookie had done to the man; he deserved it. Once the two had served their purpose, I would take delight in killing them.

I could hear the woman grumbling at the man while she helped lead him towards their home. "Damn it Mack, get your feet under ya," she complained as she pulled him along. "Why the hell couldn't Rene have stuck around to help me get your worthless ass back home from Monroe? He only helped me get your ass there so I'd give him a little free weed. Man's as worthless as you," she grumbled.

I used my vampire speed to get in front of them and catch their eyes with my glamor before they had the chance to move or look away. I regretted that the man appeared to be drugged, presumably from a visit to the hospital, but I cared not, my glamor should still be effective enough. "You will still stay away from Merlotte's for the following two nights. On the third night, after the bar closes, you will return and take out your vengeance on Sookie," I commanded them. Both humans looked at me with slack, blank eyes, before nodding and agreeing in equally blank voices. "Now, go inside and remain there until it is time to go to Merlotte's."

The couple nodded again, and finished making their way into their trailer house. I had considered telling them to come the night after my visit with the sheriff, but decided against it for several reasons. For one, I did need to start making some calls to try to begin the improvements on my home and finish moving my belongings in. But for another reason, I wanted for more time to have passed, so that Sookie would let her guard down more, and not fear reprisal from the Rattrays for her actions. My plan would work perfectly. It was flawless.

* * *

I watched outside the bar for some time, watching the locals coming and going before I finally walked in again. I would not be so foolish as to ever again underestimate a situation simply because it seemed like a backwater bar. Her smell alone let me know that Sookie was still inside, working away, and the magnetism of her smell finally pulled me into the bar.

I sat down at the same table that I had occupied the last time I had come in knowing it would be her section, and waited for Sookie to come to me.

She walked up to my table with an almost shy smile. "What can I get you?" she questioned when she stood before me.

I had spent the previous night investigating the area and glamoring many people in Bon Temps into telling me about Sookie, and then forgetting they had spoken to me of course. The general consensus in the minds of the humans around Sookie seemed to be that she was crazy, as the cousin had claimed, but also there were fears of her, steaming from her knowledge of things she shouldn't know. It surprised me how much contempt so many of these people seemed to have for her, based almost solely upon not knowing what she was, and fearing that.

I looked up into her eyes, and watched, she seemed to almost relax before my eyes. _Why would she relax while standing before a vampire, when any normal human would be terrified? _"What are you?" I couldn't help but asking her.

A smile strained its way onto her features, and her body tensed as she answered with a forced easiness, "I'm a waitress."

I had not anticipated her confessing to me, but her response was still answer enough. "Red wine," I again ordered, needing an excuse to remain. I had to find a way to ask her if I could perhaps accompany her home from work, so that I would have an excuse to be there and to intervene when the Rattrays attacked her later tonight.

"Sure," she answered. "The synthetic blood should come in on the truck tomorrow. Listen, could I talk to you after work? I have a favor to ask you," she continued.

While I was happy to have an easy, plausible excuse to remain after the bar closed, I couldn't help but feel disappointed that this human was like the rest of them, all pathetic creatures wanting something from everyone else. "Of course. I'm in your debt," I said more stiffly than I intended. _Why do I care in the slightest about why this girl wants to see me after she is done working? Whatever the reason, it will serve its purpose and then I can move on with my plans for this girl. The sooner I hand her over to the queen the better. Then I can get to work again on my database, a project I've had to put on hold because of this girl._

"Not a favor for me!" she exclaimed, startling me out of my thoughts. _Not a favor for herself, then for whom?_ "For my grandmother. If you'll be up —well, I guess you will be—when I get off work at one-thirty, would you very much mind meeting me at the employee door at the back of the bar?" she asked, nodding towards the back of the bar.

And just like that, I was intrigued by this girl again. She was asking for a favor, as any human would be apt to, but it was not even a favor for herself, but for her grandmother. "I'd be delighted," I said easily. It would give me the perfect excuse for tonight, and if I had to seduce this girl, it would be wise to be on the right side of the women she lived with. Not that I couldn't glamour the grandmother if she proved difficult.

The girl nodded, and turned on her heel to get my drink. When she returned I tipped her generously, then slipped out of the bar after she had gone to fill other orders.

I watched from the woods near the bar, waiting for my plan to take place. When it started nearing closing time, the Rattray couple crept up near the bar. I had heard them park their car down the road a ways and walk closer. I was surprised the humans were smart enough not to simply drive their beat-up sports car into the parking lot.

After the last of the patrons had left, and most of the employees, I watched as the shifter shut off the lights in the parking lot and made his way towards his own trailer park. I had been worried he might smell me, so I had stayed far back into the woods.

Eventually, Sookie exited the bar, looking around for me. It was after one-thirty by now. She looked around some more, and then made her way towards her car, where the Rattrays were waiting. I had expected the Rattrays to pop out and attack her verbally for a time, trying to scare her before they attacked her.

Instead, Mack simply pulled back his arm and struck the girl with all of his might. I watched in surprise as the couple beat and kicked Sookie as she rolled up into a ball. I had wanted them to attack Sookie so I could have an excuse to give her blood, but I had not expected this level of rage. It became quite clear that the Rattrays were not here simply to give Sookie a beating. I was surprised when Sookie suddenly grabbed onto the man's leg and held on. Apparently, she would not go down without a fight. I found this captivating as well.

Before I could move to help Sookie, the shifter ran onto the scene, having shifted into the form of a dog. _Now what good is a dog going to do?_ I thought with a shake of my head. I ran closer and gave a snarl to get the couple's attention. The shifter had already gotten between the couple and Sookie, but they didn't seem too frightened of the dog. The man did however look in my direction to see where the snarl came from.

"What the hell is that?" he asked in a terrified voice. I could hear that Sookie's breathing had become quite strained and uneven. I cursed myself for not giving the couple clearer directions to just beat Sookie, and not kill her. I would be in a lot of trouble with queen should I let the girl die on my watch.

I took my own rage and frustration of the situation out on the drainers, relishing being able to finally kill them.

After the couple was dead, I stood and looked down at their torn and shredded bodies. I wondered what it was about this girl that seemed to make me think unclearly. I should have anticipated this and not let the situation even happen.

I heard the dog whine behind me, and then Sookie's voice softly say, "I'm dying." It brought me back to the situation at hand, and I moved to her side and knelt down. The shifter looked up at me, but didn't move to stop me; he seemed to know I was the girl's only chance at surviving this night.

Looking over her wounds, I could see that if I didn't act quickly, she would indeed soon be dead. "I'm going to pick you up," I said calmly, trying to keep her calm.

"I'll die if you do," she whispered.

I made a show of looking her over, and then told her, "Not just yet."

She seemed to relax slightly so I continued trying to prepare her, "This will hurt." I slid my arms under her and gently lifted her up, she screamed, but it was a weak effort.

The shifter had shifted back into human form, watching me and the girl with rapt attention. "Quickly," he said in an urgent tone.

I didn't want to give the girl my blood out in the open in case someone came by. "We're going back in the woods out sight," I told him as I made my way in that direction. I carefully laid her down on the ground to prepare for healing her.

"You will die unless you do as I say," I told her.

In a weak voice, she told me, "Sorry, don't want to be a vampire."

I wanted to tell her that I could not be the one to do that, not if I valued my undead life. Instead, I told her softly, "No, you won't be. You'll heal. Quickly. I have a cure. But you have to be willing." Something deep down told me I could never bring myself to force her into taking my blood.

"Then trot out the cure," she whispered. "I'm going."

I pulled my wrist to my mouth and bit into it. When my blood began to flow, I put it to her mouth and ordered her, "Drink."

She gagged at first when she realized what I was doing, but drank nevertheless. When the blood finally hit her system, and began healing her, she latched on and began to eagerly drink my blood.

I had never given my blood to a human before. The sensation was indescribable. The feeling of my blood becoming a part of her was beyond pleasurable, and I had to struggle to maintain my composure and not grunt in satisfaction. The feeling of her sleepy emotions settled over me as she released my wrist and drifted off to sleep.

"Is she gonna be alright?" the shifter asked from several feet away.

I had been so engrossed in the pleasure of Sookie taking my blood; I hadn't even heard the shifter approach. I nodded to him, and asked, "Are the humans still in the parking lot?"

"Naw, I put them in the back of my truck, but we've got to figure out what to do with them."

I was surprised at the shifter's willingness to help and his use of "we", but based on the looks of longing he gave the girl, I would say he helped for her sake, and not my own. "Take them back to their trailer house, and I will cover it up later."

The shifter nodded, still looking at the girl and asked, "Will your blood really heal her?"

Again, I nodded and said, "Yes, now get the bodies out of here before someone comes by."

After the shifter had left, I returned my attention to the girl lying beside me, and began to clean her wounds.

I was right; her blood was sublime. I had never tasted anything like it. I wondered if she tasted differently because of what she was. As I moved about her, cleaning her wounds, I vowed to be more careful in my handling of her. She tasted so good; I was tempted to actually draw-out how long it would take to deal with her before handing her over to the queen. _After all, I'm immortal. I would have forever to finish my database. _

As I moved on to clean the wound on her head, Sookie started to wakeup. I expected her to react to me licking her blood, but she seemed to patiently take this in and let me continue.

"Do I taste different from other people?" she asked. This was the perfect opening for me, and I hoped that given the fact that I had just saved her life she would just answer me.

"Yes, what are you?"

"Hey, I'm not dead," she said, moving her arms and legs about in surprise. She slowly sat up, and I could feel that she was still tired. Her wounds had been severe enough that my blood could heal her, but it wouldn't give her a boost of energy yet.

For some reason, I wanted to keep her close to me, so I cradled her to me on my lap as I leaned back against a tree. I vaguely remembered holding my daughter this way when she had been frightened or upset. She didn't fight me and relaxed into my embrace. It felt oddly, right.

"What I am, is telepathic," she finally answered, "I can hear people's thoughts."

"Even mine?" I asked curiously. I didn't think it was possible. Or else she would have already known that I had arranged for the Rattrays to come after her, and that I had been sent for her. Perhaps as a human, she could only hear other human's thoughts.

She confirmed this, "No. That's why I like you so much," she said matter-of-factly.

I couldn't stop from laughing slightly at her bluntness, nor could I help but be a little pleased at her proclamation.

"I can't hear you at all," she continued. "You have no idea how peaceful that is. After a lifetime of blah, blah, blah, to hear … nothing."

Her statement made me curious, perhaps this was the reason so many said she was crazy. _How hard would it be, to be subjected to hearing the thoughts of everyone around you?_ "How do you manage going out with men? With men your age, their only thought is still surely how to get you into bed." I found it unsettling how much I disliked this thought.

"Well, I don't. Manage. And frankly, at any age, I think their goal is get a woman in bed. I don't date. Everyone thinks I'm crazy, you know, because I can't tell them the truth; which is, that I'm driven crazy by all these thoughts, all these heads. I had a few dates when I started working at the bar, guys who hadn't heard about me. But it was the same as always. You can't concentrate on being comfortable with a guy, or getting a head of steam up, when you can hear they're wondering if you dye your hair, or thinking that your butt's not pretty, or imagining what your boobs look like."

Again, I was unsettled at how glad it made me to hear this. _Did that mean she was untouched by any man?_ I wondered.

Suddenly she sat up a little and pulled away from me, "Excuse me," she told me, looking at me more fully, "I didn't mean to burden you with my problems. Thank you for saving me from the Rats."

I wanted to laugh at her name for them, but told her seriously, "It was my fault they had a chance to get you at all." There was more truth in this then she knew, and I was angry at how guilty this made me feel. _I am a vampire we are all devious, that is our nature,_ I thought angrily. "If I had had the courtesy to be on time, it would not have happened. So I owed you some of my blood. I owed you the healing," I covered.

"Are they dead?" she asked in a slightly squeaky voice.

"Oh, yes." And it was much too quick an end for drainers anyway.

"I should worry about this, but I'm not," she told me with a slight forced laugh.

"Sookie, why did you want to talk to me tonight?" I asked, remembering that she was the one who had asked to meet with me tonight.

She seemed to think for a moment, and then said, "My grandmother is real anxious to know how old you are," she said slowly.

I continued to stroke her back, enjoying the contact and though I wished I could feel the bare skin of her back. "I was made vampire in 1870, when I was thirty human years old," I answered without thinking. It surprised me how easy it was for her to get under my skin. She got answers out of me as easily as I normally could with others. _Perhaps I'm answering her because of this strange guilt I'm feeling._

"Did you fight in the War?"

"Yes," I once again answered. _Why can't I control myself around this human?_

"I have the feeling you're gonna get mad. But it would make her and her club so happy if you'd tell them a little bit about the War, about what it was really like," she told me carefully.

She was right, normally I would be mad at a human asking me to speak to others about my own human life, but strangely, I wanted to please her. Perhaps it would appease my guilt. "Club?" I questioned her.

"She belongs to Descendants of the Glorious Dead."

"Glorious dead," I repeated. Sitting here, with this woman in my lap, I had never believed more that there was nothing glorious about the dead.

"Listen, you wouldn't have to tell them about the maggots and the infections and the starvation," she told me. "They have their own picture of the War, and though they're not stupid people—they've lived through other wars—they would like to know more about the way people lived then, and uniforms and troop movements."

"Clean things," I said.

She took a deep breath and said, "Yep."

"Would it make you happy if I did this?" _Why do I care, or want to make her happy?_

"What difference does that make? It would make Gran happy, and since you're in Bon Temps and seem to want to live around here, it would be a good public relations move for you," she explained.

"Would it make you happy?" I persisted. I could care less what others thought, but strangely, she did matter.

"Well, yes," she finally answered.

"Then I'll do it," I told her, feeling contented.

"Gran says to please eat before you come," she told me. I found myself laughing at her grandmother's apparent humor.

"I'm looking forward to meeting her now. Can I call on you some night?" I questioned. _Why am I so eager for this? It's just to get her under my control,_ I tried to convince myself.

"Ah. Sure. I work my last night tomorrow night, and the day after I'm off for two days, so Thursday would be a good night," she said glancing at her watch. "Oh, yuck," she said when she saw the blood covering it. After she had cleaned it off, she said, "Oh, gosh, I got to get home. I hope Gran went to sleep."

Looking her over, I couldn't help but think of how young she was to be out alone at this hour of night, though it had served my purposes well. "She must worry about you being out so late at night by yourself."

"It's part of my job," she told me tartly. "Can't be helped. I don't work nights all the time, anyway. But when I can, I do."

"Why?" I questioned with wonder. It was dangerous to be out late at night like this. And look, she ended up in the arms of a vampire. I gave her a shove to help raise her to her feet, and then followed her as she moved back towards the bar.

"Better tips. Harder work. No time to think," she told me. I wondered if money was tight, living in a household with only her and her grandmother. From what the people of Bon Temps had told me, her brother lived elsewhere, and did nothing to support his sister or grandmother.

"But night is more dangerous," I told her once again thinking about her in my arms.

"Now don't you go sounding like my grandmother," she told me in a chiding tone.

"I'm older than your grandmother," I told her.

Once we stepped into the parking lot, I was glad to see that the shifter had done a fair job of cleaning up. He had hosed down the gravel to wash the blood away. It wouldn't fool a vampire, I could still smell the blood, but humans wouldn't detect anything.

I waited until Sookie was safely to her car, and then took off towards the Rattray's trailer house to deal with them. My plan with the Rattrays had not gone quite as I had anticipated, but the result was the same. I had given Sookie my blood, but more importantly, I could now tell the queen exactly what the girl was.

* * *

A/N: I'll probably try to write a chapter every week or two, more if I can, but I will warn you that at the beginning of the month is when most of my deadlines for my paid articles are due, so the last few days of a month and into the fist week of the next month, I'll usually be busy with my paid stuff. Please have patience with me.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and please let me know what you thought!


	4. A Strange Courtship Ensues

**Chapter 4: A Strange Courtship Ensues**

When I arrived at the Rattray's, I was surprised to find that the shifter was still there, waiting for me.

"Is Sookie alright?" he questioned as he leaned against his pick-up. The Rattrays were no longer in the back of the pick-up, so I assumed he had moved them into the trailer. His clothing was disheveled and bloody.

"You should burn those clothes and make sure to wash the back of your pick-up out with bleach," I advised him.

"I know what to do," he said irritably, running his hand through his tangled scruffy hair. Why the shifter didn't keep it trimmed more properly was beyond me. Were I able, I would trim my hair and sideburns more closely. "You gonna answer me?" he demanded.

"The girl will be fine, she has returned home now," I answered, though it was no business of his own.

"Good, now listen, I don't know and I don't care what your business is in Bon Temps, but I want you to stay away from Sookie. I don't like that she's got your blood in her." The shifter had the audacity to try to tell me what to do.

"My blood kept that girl from dying, and I will spend more time with the girl if I so choose," I replied icily.

"She's a good girl, she don't need to get tangled up in your vampire shit, so you just leave her be," he threatened, stepping closer to me.

I smiled cruelly, making sure my fangs were displayed, then said, "Are you sure that's what she wants?"

The shifter scowled at me, but he seemed to realize that in a match of brute strength, he could not beat me, so he grumbled, "Just you stay away from her," then climbed into his pick-up to leave.

After firing up the engine, he rolled down the window and asked, "What are you planning to do about the Rats?"

I studied the landscape for a moment, and decided that since there were no neighbors too close, that a tornado might be a plausible excuse for mangling the humans' bodies so. "Oh, I think a tornado is due to touch down here tonight," I replied easily.

The shifter eyed me dubiously for a moment, then nodded and drove off. _As though I care whether I have his approval or not._

After I had dealt with the Rattrays, I returned home, but not without stopping by the Stackhouse farm. I wanted to check on the girl. Though she had claimed she was accustomed to working late nights, I couldn't help but to feel that I should check on her to ensure her safe return home. The Rattrays were dead, a tornado being the only obvious cause of the damage, so they were no longer a threat to the girl, but other things (besides me) did lurk in the night.

All seemed quiet at the Stackhouse residence, and after careful listening, I determined that two humans seemed to be sleeping peacefully within. The residence was similar to what it had been when I was human, but noticeably larger. I wondered when the additions had been made.

Dawn was impending, so I returned to my home. I had agreed to meet Sookie and her grandmother in two night's time, so I would have the following night to finally make some progress on the repairs to my family home. Many were needed.

* * *

Shortly after first dark, I showered and dressed in fresh clothing to meet with Sookie and her grandmother. I was making progress on building a light-tight space beneath my home, but for now, I was forced to sleep within the ground in the cemetery. I had not slept in the ground in some years, so finishing the light-tight space had become a real priority. Not that I was making much progress on the rest of my old home.

I had some skill with carpentry from my human days, but the craft had not been plied since then. I knew I could likely do some simple repairs to my home, once I bought the right tools, but things like electrical and plumbing problems would have to be done by professionals, as I had no familiarity with them in my human life, and neither did I in my vampire existence.

This was proving to be a problem however. Being a small town, I could not get a hold of contractors after-hours, and though I had left messages explaining that I need to be contacted after dark, I had yet to have my calls returned. It seemed that the news had spread that a vampire had moved into town, and I knew the locals would be loath to accept such change … such … an unusual new neighbor.

As I approached the Stackhouse home, I once again found myself taking in the differences in it from my human days. I was torn as to whether the reminders of my human life were comforting or unsettling. I supposed that it was a little of both.

I could hear that someone was outside the house as I approached. My darker instincts took over, and before I could stop myself, I had run at vampire speed up to the house to stand at the bottom of the steps to the porch, hoping to scare whatever human was outside. I knew there was no need to scare the human, indeed it was likely detrimental as I was sent to _seduce_ the girl, but my nature demanded that I be as frightening to humans as possible. _Perhaps I should have fed from a human before I came over, instead of drinking that synthetic excuse for blood_, I thought to myself.

Sookie was on the porch sweeping, but turned slowly to look down and smile at me. She didn't even seem surprised by my appearance. She could not have heard my approach, but perhaps she had _heard_ my approach. I had been sure that she was telling the truth when she said she couldn't read vampire minds, but perhaps she had been lying. _What if she can read vampire minds?_ I shuddered to think what the Queen's reaction to that might be. She could be seen as either a terrible threat, or a tremendous asset. I was glad now that I had not reported anything substantial to the queen yet, nothing beyond saying that I had arrived at my home and would make contact with the Stackhouse girl soon. It was a dangerous game to play, not relaying everything to the queen immediately, but I wanted to be cautious and know more before I relayed anything at all.

"Didn't scare me," Sookie said calmly.

I was embarrassed that my darker instincts had taken over, even for a moment. I needed to make sure my actions with this girl were deliberate and calculated. I was already unnerved by some of my feelings from two nights prior. I had vowed to myself that I would do my duty to my queen, and be rid of the Stackhouse girl as soon as was possible. My actions needed to be deliberate and efficient so that I could be rid of her quicker.

"It's just a habit, appearing like that. I don't make much noise," I explained to her easily. I wondered again how she seemed to know I was there, but decided to handle things cautiously and not question her. With any luck, I would soon know whether or not she could read my mind.

The girl turned around and opening the door, said, "Come on in." I was contented that her southern upbringing and manners demanded that she invite me in, thereby excusing me from having to explain to her that vampires _had_ to be invited into a human's home, and could therefore have their invitation rescinded as well. I had no intention of explaining this to her anytime soon, if at all.

As I mounted the stairs, I looked around, taking in the changes that had been made. I was surprised at how much was still familiar. "I remember this," I told her, "it wasn't so big, though."

"You remember this house? Gran's gonna love it," she told me with some excitement. She led me into the house, calling to her grandmother as she went.

Her grandmother, Adele, introduced herself far more politely than I had expected a human to do so with a vampire. She made some more polite conversation, and then invited me to be seated on the sofa. I was somewhat surprised when she left the room for the kitchen, only to return to the sitting room with three glasses of what appeared to be some kind of tea. She passed out the teas, and then took a seat on the easy chair. Sookie seemed to hesitate, almost shyly for a time, and then she perched on the other end of the sofa from me, trying to maintain what distance she politely could. I was surprised that she seemed hesitant around me tonight. The first night she had been fearless. Had she found some common sense concerning vampires?

I realized I was still holding the glass of tea that Adele had brought me, so not wanting to offend Sookie, or her grandmother; I politely touched it to my lips, and then set it on the coffee table. I almost laughed when both humans gave each other nervous looks before taking big sips of their own tea. _Has it just now occurred to them that they have invited a vampire into their home?_ I wondered, but I restrained my laughter, again not wanting to offend this girl. Things would not go very smoothly if I did.

I was trying to think of something to start a conversation with, when Adele spoke. "I guess you heard about the strange tornado," she said.

"Tell me," I said as conversationally as I could. Of course I knew about the _tornado_, I _was_ the tornado, but I wanted to know what she meant by strange tornado. _Did the human authorities suspect something out of the ordinary?_ I pondered.

"Oh, two nights ago, a tornado touched down at Four Tracks Corner," she explained enthusiastically, clearly enjoying the chance to gossip, a trait I was strangely relieved to see was still common in women of the South. "Even though the weather was smooth that night, and no one else saw or heard anything, it apparently touched down there, and turned a rent trailer over. The couple that lived there were crushed and killed. Very tragic freak of nature," she finished.

Out of the corner of my eye, I observed the girl looking at her hands and making every effort to keep her eyes off me. I hoped her grandmother didn't notice this guilty behavior. My fear that the human authorities suspected something passed as the old woman called it a "freak of nature". The advances in technology certainly made it more difficult for vampires to cover their tracks ... not impossible, simply more difficult. _I will have to use another method the next time I need to hide kills_, I thought grimly.

"I went by yesterday on my way to work," the girl suddenly said. Her eyes remained on her clasped hands in her lap however. "By the trailer," she added to clarify.

I looked up at her grandmother, but she seemed to only be eyeing her granddaughter curiously, not suspiciously, and more importantly, she wasn't making any connection to me. "Did you find it looked as you expected?" I asked. I couldn't help but be curious as to why she would bother going to see the drainers who had tried and nearly succeeded in killing her.

"No," she told me slowly, I could feel her nervousness since I had given her my blood. It was odd to feel the emotions of a human. I had only ever experienced the emotions of my maker, and then, only when she opened the bond to me. "It wasn't anything I could have expected. I was really … amazed."

"Sookie, you've seen tornado damage before," the grandmother said in surprise.

I could feel that Sookie was startled by her grandmother's comment; she seemed to have forgotten her presence. Her emotions moved too quickly for me to decipher. "Bill, where'd you get your shirt? It looks nice."

I could sense that she was grasping at a way to change the subject, but I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes. Did she think that I magically made clothing appear? "Dillard's," I answered shortly.

I was surprised that the grandmother seemed pleased by this, but perhaps she had envisioned me running around thieving. This seemed to signal the end of the polite chatter, and Adele eagerly launched into questioning me.

"And your people were from this area?" she asked me.

I had already resigned myself to having to speak about my human life, and was prepared to give an abbreviated history. "My father's people were Comptons, my mother's people Loudermilks."

"There are lots of Loudermilks left," Adele replied with growing excitement. "But I'm afraid old Mr. Jessie Compton died last year."

I had actually been surprised to find that my descendant had died the previous year and not more recently. Queen Sophie-Anne obviously had this plot in the works for far longer than I anticipated. I wondered if she had me in mind when she planned this, or if she had killed my descendant to have access to my old home. I did have to admit that the location would make it quite convenient to deal with this girl.

"I know," I again said calmly. "That's why I came back. The land reverted to me, and since things have changed in our culture toward people of my particular persuasion, I decided to claim it." I left out that I had little choice in returning to Bon Temps, and that my queen had been the one to ensure that I received my family's land.

"Did you know the Stackhouses? Sookie says you have a long history," the grandmother asked. I had been concentrating on thinking about my task, in hopes of trying to see if the girl could read my mind and give herself away, but at the question, the girl smiled at her grandmother. Either she was very good at hiding, which I doubted since I felt nothing but happiness from her emotions, or she couldn't read my thoughts.

I returned my attention to the grandmother and answered, "I remember Jonas Stackhouse. My folks were here when Bon Temps was just a hole in the road at the edge of the frontier. Jonas Stackhouse moved here with his wife and his four children when I was a young man of sixteen. Isn't this the house he built, at least in part?" I questioned politely. My answers were well prepared, I knew from what Sookie said that her grandmother would be happy to have any history of the area and her relatives that she could get, and indeed, she seemed to be eating it all up.

"Did he own slaves?" she finally questioned me after she had asked several other questions about the Stackhouses. I was more than willing to answer questions about the Stackhouses as long as she didn't ask too much about my own history, though I knew it was likely to be inevitable.

"Ma'am, if I remember correctly, he had a house slave and a yard slave. The house slave was a woman of middle age and the yard slave a very big young man, very strong, named Minas. But the Stackhouses mostly worked their own fields, as did my folks," I answered truthfully. I knew slavery was still a touchy subject, even all of these years later, but I trusted that Adele would understand that they were different times and that by no means were my family nor the Stackhouses owners of big plantations that would employ the use of many slaves.

"Oh, that is exactly the kind of thing my little group would love to hear! Did Sookie tell you about my club, the Descendants of the Glorious Dead?" she tittered.

I had already resigned myself to having to speak to this ridiculous club, so after asking Adele a few more questions about the club, and what I would speak about, we set-up a time for me to speak to them at their next meeting. It galled me that I would have to relive my human life to a bunch of worthless humans, but I could easily see that it would help me to win over the girl more quickly. Therefore, I would swallow my pride and speak to them. After I was through with the girl, I could always kill any of the humans that would be present when I spoke. In that vein of thought, I decided that it was time to make more progress with the girl.

"And now, if you'll excuse Sookie and me, maybe we'll take a walk. It's a lovely night." I got up and moved slowly towards the girl. Though she had not been frightened earlier, I wanted to make sure my vampire instincts didn't get out of hand again. I reached out to take the girl's hand, and was pleased when she put her hand in mine, and allowed me to pull her to her feet. It seemed her shyness had passed.

"Oh, you two go on," the grandmother said, still tittering. "I have so many things to look up. You'll have to tell me all the local names you remember from when you were ..." she trailed off, looking for a polite way to say when I was alive.

"Resident here in Bon Temps," the girl said smoothly. I was impressed with her quickness.

"Of course," I replied. Though I had promised myself that I would move slowly, I found myself wanting out of this house, and away from talk of my human life. Without a backward glance, I pulled the girl into my arms and sped towards the door. I was pleasantly surprised when the girl smiled and her emotions told me she was pleased as well.

"We'll be back in a while," the girl told her grandmother.

"Oh, you two don't hurry on my account," Adele said as she was gathering up the tea glasses, she had not noticed our quick exit of the room. "I'll be just fine."

As we walked outside, I kept the girl's hand within my own, the warmth of her hand was oddly comforting, and it seemed to settle my emotions. A cat emerged from the shadows, and rubbed against the girl's legs. She bent down to pet the cat, and then it moved on to rubbing against my own legs. I was not thrilled with being covered in the smell of a cat, but the animal seemed to be important to this girl. Trying to be amicable I asked, "You like this animal?"

"It's my cat. Her name is Tina, and I like her a lot," she responded. I remained still and let the cat continue to smell me and rub against me. Animals often had varied responses to vampires, some were undisturbed by our kind, but most sensed our nature and avoided us.

"Would you like to sit in the swing or the lawn chairs, or would you like to walk?" she asked when the cat was finished with me.

"Oh, let's walk for a while. I need to stretch my legs," I replied, I hoped it was a normal human response, but something seemed to make her uneasy, at least from what I could tell from her emotions. Nonetheless, we began to walk down the graveled road in front of our two homes.

I was curious as to why she had gone to see where I had left the drainers, and why it was that she seemed so unsettled. "Did the trailer upset you?" I questioned curiously.

She seemed to consider this for a while, and then said, "I feel very … hmmm. Fragile. When I think about the trailer."

I was surprised by her very honest answer. Humans were fragile, but they were often loath to admit such weaknesses, even to such obviously superior beings. "You knew I was strong."

Her head tipped to the side in an oddly curious manner, "Yes, but I didn't realize the full extent of your strength. Or your imagination."

"Over the years, we get good at hiding what we've done," I told her. She was inquisitive about my kind, and I couldn't help but wanting to be truthful. Perhaps if I simply answered her wonderings, she would be more agreeable with the queen later on. The smoother the transition into the hands of the queen the better.

"So. I guess you've killed a bunch of people," she stated, but she didn't seem to denounce me for this. _Interesting._

"Some," I answered quite truthfully.

She let go of my hand, and clasped her hands behind her back. "Were you hungrier right after you became a vampire? How did that happen?" she asked me in that simply curious manner again. As if she were a child inquiring about the why the sun rose and fell each day.

The question startled me, and I couldn't hide my reaction. The mixture of her open curiosity and fearlessness amazed me. I considered not answering her, or telling her not to ask me about such things, but decided to stay my course. I would answer truthfully and see how she reacted. I could always remove the memory from her mind if she couldn't handle my answer.

"As to how I became a vampire, that's too long a story for now," I explained. "But yes, when I was younger—a few times—I killed by accident. I was never sure when I'd get to eat again, you understand? We were always hunted, naturally, and there was no such thing as artificial blood. And there were not as many people then. But I had been a good man when I was alive …" I caught myself quickly, the party line, so-to-speak, was that we weren't dead, that we had a virus. I continued as smoothly as I could, "I mean, before I caught the virus. So I tried to be civilized about it, select bad people as my victims, never feed on children." Images of my own children flashed through my mind. I had hated those of my kind that fed on children, they were innocents, and they had not even had the chance to experience the good or the bad in the world yet. In the first few years, when I couldn't control myself, and when meals were scarce, I had succumbed to my hunger, and I _had_ fed on several children, though I always heavily glamored them to remove the memories from their minds. I continued on, trying to move past the dark topic. "I managed never to kill a child, at least. It's so different now. I can go to the all-night clinic in any city and get some synthetic blood, though it's disgusting. Or I can pay a whore and get enough blood to keep going for a couple of days." That is if I fed deeply. "Or I can glamor someone, so they'll let me bite them for love and then forget all about it. And I don't need so much now."

I had thrown a lot at her, and was surprised when she fired back with, "Or you can meet a girl who gets head injuries."

Deciding to keep with blunt honesty, since she had responded well to it thus far, I said, "Oh, you were the dessert. The Rattrays were the meal." And what a fine dessert she had been.

"Whoa," she whispered. "Give me a minute."

Again, I was surprised that she reacted so calmly to my explanation of what I was, and that I had killed many people, but seemed unsettled by me killing two humans that nearly killed her. _Perhaps the fact that she knew those humans simply makes their deaths more real than the deaths of others from my past._

I had all of the time in the world, so I simply waited for the girl to gather her senses. It surprised me when she closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief. I opened myself to her feelings even more than before, interested to see how she was handling my revelations, and was washed over with her sense of happiness.

She seemed so accepting of me and of my nature, and this was without being glamored into accepting me. I almost smiled as I asked, "Are you happy now?"

"Yes," she answered quietly.

I was surprised to find myself saying, "You feel good to me, too."

"How so?" she asked slowly in her curious manner.

Almost as if she could glamor me into answering her, I said, "No fear, no hurry, no condemnation. I don't have to use my glamor to make you hold still, to have a conversation with you." It surprised me how honest she seemed to influence me into being.

"Glamor?" she questioned.

It surprised me that she hadn't questioned this sooner. Again, I found myself answering, "Like hypnotism. All vampires use it, to some extent or another. Because to feed, until the new synthetic blood was developed, we had to persuade people we were harmless ... or assure them they hadn't seen us at all ... or delude them into thinking they'd seen something else." With the Great Revelation, now it was more likely that we had to glamor the thrill-seeking fangbangers into leaving us alone.

"Does it work on me?"

I was surprised at her question. Did she wonder if I had glamored her already? In a way, I was surprised at myself for not glamoring her, but I told myself it was because she had not proven difficult in anyway yet, so there had been no need to. "Of course," I answered her. No human was immune to vampire glamor. It was what protected my kind for untold centuries.

"Okay, do it," she told me confidently. _Why would any human ask to be glamored?_

Deciding to humor the girl, I said, "Look at me."

"It's dark."

"No matter. Look at my face," I commanded, placing my hands on her shoulders. I tried to silently influence the girl, telling her to step in to me and kiss me. Something I had been thinking of far too much lately.

I was surprised when nothing happened so I whispered aloud, "Can you feel my influence?" Perhaps her telepathy afforded her a higher resistance and allowed her to keep from acting on the compulsion.

"Not a bit, I'm sorry. I just see you glow," she told me.

I leaned back a bit, startled. All vampires could see one another's glow; it was one of many ways that we knew each other on sight. "You can see that?"

"Sure. Can't everyone?" she said eyeing me curiously.

This girl was proving to be more and more confounding. "No. This is very strange, Sookie," I answered absentmindedly. I would have to tread doubly carefully now with this girl if she could not be glamored. Never had I come across a human, nor heard of one that couldn't be glamored. Glamoring and influencing others came very easily for me. _If I can't influence her in any way, how am I going to get her under my control?_ I almost shuddered as I realized that I would have to court her, as a human would.

"If you say so," Sookie was answering me. "Can I see you levitate?"

"Right here?" I was pleased at the thought that maybe it wouldn't take too much effort to keep her content.

"Sure, why not? Unless there's a reason?"

"No, none at all," I replied, letting go of her shoulders. I very slowly floated slightly into the air, and held my position, giving her time to take it in. I had always considered myself to be quite lucky that I could fly, it was a very useful skill.

"Can all of you do that?"

"Can you sing?" I questioned back. It was not surprising that she would question this. Humans didn't understand that vampires were as different individually as humans were.

"Nope, can't carry a tune."

"Well, we can't all do the same things, either," I answered as I slowly landed on the ground. "Most humans are squeamish about vampires. You don't seem to be."

She shrugged but didn't answer. It finally struck me that she seemed as much of an outcast in this area as I would be. Perhaps that was why she was accepting of my otherness, because of her own otherness. "Has it always been hard for you?" I questioned.

"Yes, always," she replied bluntly. I was somehow pleased with her bluntness. Even in my human life, my wife had accused me of being as blunt as an ox. I didn't reply to her, waiting to see if she would say any more, and indeed, she continued on.

"When I was very small, that was worst, because I didn't know how to put up my guard, and I heard thoughts I wasn't supposed to hear, of course, and I repeated them like a child will. My parents didn't know what to do about me. It embarrassed my father, in particular. My mother finally took me to a child psychologist, who knew exactly what I was, but she just couldn't accept it and kept trying to tell my folks I was reading their body language and was very observant, so I had good reason to imagine I heard people's thoughts. Of course, she couldn't admit I was literally hearing people's thoughts because that just didn't fit into her world.

"And I did poorly in school because it was so hard for me to concentrate when so few others were. But when there was testing, I would test very high because the other kids were concentrating on their own papers ... that gave me a little leeway. Sometimes my folks thought I was lazy for not doing well on everyday work. Sometimes the teachers thought I had a learning disability; oh, you wouldn't believe the theories. I must have had my eyes and ears tested every two months, seemed like, and brain scans ... gosh. My poor folks paid through the nose. But they never could accept the simple truth. At least outwardly, you know?"

Her candidness pleased me, perhaps my glamor did not work on her, but maybe I was still able to subtly influence her behavior. _Then again, nothing seems to work as it should with this girl, maybe she is just being very open with me of her own will._ Either way, I decided to keep her talking, if I had to court her as a human would, I would need to know more about her from her own lips, and not just what her cousin and the townspeople had told me.

"But they knew inside," I commented.

"Yes. Once, when dad was trying to decide whether to back a man who wanted to open an auto parts store, he asked me to sit with him when the man came to the house. After the man left, my dad took me outside and looked away and said, 'Sookie, is he telling the truth?' It was the strangest moment."

"How old were you?" I remembered that her parents had died, but I could not remember when the cousin had told me that had been.

"I must've been less than seven 'cause they died when I was in the second grade."

"How?" I asked, though if I recalled this much correctly it was a flood.

"Flash flood. Caught them on the bridge west of here," she said, confirming my recollections.

Death was of no consequence to me, but I did wonder at how well she was able to harness her gift for such a young age. If she could use her telepathy at the age of seven to weed out lying humans, surely the queen was right and she would be a powerful asset now that she was grown. "Was the man lying?"

"Oh, yes. He planned to take Daddy's money and run."

"You have a gift," I commented.

"Gift. Right," she said with a frown, as though I were a slow child.

"It makes you different from other humans," I told her, reminding her that we were both different.

"You're telling me," she agreed derisively. Then she looked at me as we were walking and asked, "So you don't consider yourself human at all?"

"I haven't for a long time," I said truthfully, and if this girl were honest with herself, she would see that there appeared to be very little about her that was like any human either.

"Do you really believe you've lost your soul?" she questioned.

I had been Christian as a human, and had wondered this several times in my existence as well, "I have no way of knowing. Personally, I think not. There is something in me that isn't cruel, not murderous, even after all these years. Though I can be both." I did occasionally wonder if this wasn't something I had simply convinced myself of, to make my existence easier.

"It's not your fault you were infected with a virus," she told me kindly.

I couldn't stop myself from snorting. Her naivety was both endearing, and infuriating in equal proportions. It only served to remind me how vast the gulf between myself and my lost humanity really was. "There have been theories as long as there have been vampires. Maybe that one is true." I regretted it as soon as I said it; I couldn't glamor this girl, so I needed to be careful with what I said. "If what makes a vampire is a virus, it's a selective one." I tried to answer dismissively, but I couldn't help but to feel somewhat angry at being a vampire. I may have learned to embrace my darker nature, but there was still a part of me that despised it. Standing here with this girl, only served as a reminder of how different we truly were.

"How do you become a vampire?" She couldn't seem to help but ask the question. I wasn't thrilled with the topic, but decided to answer nonetheless.

"I would have to drain you, at one sitting or over two or three days, to the point of your death, then give you my blood. You would lie like a corpse for about forty-eight hours, sometimes as long as three days, then rise and walk at night. And you would be hungry." I wondered if perhaps one day this would be her fate with Sophie-Anne, after she had used her abilities for a time. Sophie-Anne would have to risk losing the girl's talents, but the possibility that she could keep them for all time would be too rich of a deal to pass on.

The girl seemed to consider this for a time, and then said, "No other way?"

There were oldwives tales of course, though I had never actually seen it happen firsthand. "Other vampires have told me humans they habitually bite, day after day, can become vampires quite unexpectedly. But that requires consecutive, deep, feedings. Others, under the same conditions, merely become anemic. Then again, when people are near to death for some other reason, a car accident or a drug overdose, perhaps, the process can go ... badly wrong." I considered the vampire, Bubba, whose turning had gone so terribly wrong due to his years of drug use. He had little of his own mind left, and could be upset easily, but with careful handling, could be a very effective tool, and he had always responded well to my own cool demeanor.

Again, we walked in silence. Though the girl did ask questions when they seemed to come to her mind, I was thankful that she was not prone to mindless chatter. I had spent the last several years working on my database and traveling extensively, so I was surprised at how enjoyable her simple questions and her companionable silence could be.

"What do you plan on doing with the Compton land?"

"I plan on living there, as long as I can. I'm tired of drifting from city to city. I grew up in the country. Now that I have a legal right to exist, and I can go to Monroe or Shreveport or New Orleans for synthetic blood or prostitutes who specialize in our kind, I want to stay here. At least see if it's possible. I've been roaming for decades." The answer was well prepared, but in this moment, simply walking down the gravel road with this girl, it actually seemed like a possibility. _Why can't I stay here, enjoy this girl's company, and still finish my database?_ The thought skittered across my mind, but I batted it away to focus on what Sookie was asking me.

"What kind of shape is the house in?"

"Pretty bad," I admitted to her. "I've been trying to clean it out. That I can do at night. But I need workmen to get some repairs done. I'm not bad at carpentry, but I don't know a thing about electricity. It seems to me the house may need rewiring." I could continue on without having it rewired for a time, but with my database, I had come to rely a great deal on computers. They seemed to me to be the greatest invention that humans had come up with thus far.

"Do you have a phone?"

"Sure," I answered in surprise. Did she think because I was vampire that I didn't have nor use such modern amenities?

"So what's the problem with the workmen?"

"It's hard to get in touch with them at night, hard to get them to meet with me so I can explain what needs doing. They're scared, or they think it's a prank call," I said with frustration. If this continued on any longer, I would have to begin tracking these humans down, and forcing them to meet with me, but that was far more trouble than I would like to go to.

Sookie gave a short laugh, and then said, "If you want, I'll call them. They know me. Even though everyone thinks I'm crazy, they know I'm honest."

I was hesitant to simply turn this over to the girl; I suppose the human part of me that this girl stirred, objected to having a woman do such work for me. However, I couldn't deny, that from a vampire standpoint, that it would be very convenient to have this girl be my daytime person. Perhaps it would help to further entrench me in her life. "That would be a great favor," I told her slowly. "They could work during the day, after I'd met with them to discuss the job and the cost." _I will have to ensure that on those days I go to ground, even if I have secured my light-tight space by then._ _It is too great a risk to have humans discover it and come upon me in my weakened state._

"What an inconvenience, not being able to get out in the day," Sookie said.

I felt my eyebrow rise at her statement. Had she seriously never thought of this before? "It certainly is," I said plainly.

"And having to hide your resting place," she added carelessly.

I remained silent, trying to discern if she had read my thoughts. She seemed to finally take in my silence, and as her face turned red, she quietly said, "I'm sorry."

I could feel her embarrassment keenly, but no guilt, so perhaps she had not read my thoughts, but simply _had_ spoken in a careless manner. "A vampire's daytime resting place is his most closely guarded secret," I explained, trying to keep the stiffness out of my voice. I could not afford to snap at this girl since she could not be glamored.

"I apologize," she said in a small voice.

"I accept," I responded.

We continued walking until we reached the road. Though my vampire sight had allowed me to see Sookie quite easily, she had been unable to see me very well until we stepped into the moonlight. As she quickly looked me up and down, I did the same. She had been quiet for some time, and I was struggling for something to say to her. Preferably something to once again lighten the mood. "Your dress is the color of your eyes," I finally said after casting about.

"Thank you."

"Not a lot of it, though," I couldn't help but adding. Though this girl did have the grace and manner that had been apparent in my human life, she certainly did not dress like the women I had been familiar with.

"Excuse me?" she said, clearly startled.

"It's hard for me to get used to young ladies with so few clothes on," I answered truthfully. While there was much about this technological age that I enjoyed, I rather missed the clothing of my human life. It left more to the imagination ... and a man had to work a little harder to see what they desired to see.

"You've had a few decades to get used to it," she answered sassily. "Come on, Bill! Dresses have been short for forty years now!"

"I liked long skirts," I said honestly. "I liked the underthings women wore. The petticoats." She made a grunting noise, and I couldn't help teasing, "Do you even have a petticoat?"

"I have a very pretty beige nylon slip with lace," she retorted. "If you were a human guy, I'd say you were angling for me to talk about my underwear!"

I laughed to myself, thinking, _Who says I'm not?_ "Do you have that slip on, Sookie?"

She stuck her tongue out at me, nearly causing me to laugh again at her antics, and then she hiked the edge of her dress up, revealing the lace garment, as well as some of her tanned leg. "Happy?" she asked when she had smoothed her dress back into place.

I would fondly remember the sight of her shapely leg later, and I couldn't help but answer, "You have pretty legs, but I still like long dresses better."

"You're stubborn."

It was like an echo from my human life. "That's what my wife always told me," I replied before I could stop myself.

"You were married." And just like that, the lighthearted mood was gone again.

I could not glamor this away, and likely, if she looked back in the parish records, she could learn this herself anyway. "Yes, I became a vampire when I was thirty. I had a wife, and I had five living children. My sister, Sarah, lived with us. She never wed. Her young man was killed in the war," I said without emotion.

"The Civil War."

"Yes. I came back from the battlefield. I was one of the lucky ones. At least I thought so at the time," I said, trying to keep the bitterness out of my voice. _At this moment, standing with this girl, what I wouldn't give to have a second chance at humanity._ But, such thoughts were futile, and wasteful. I am what I am.

"You fought for the Confederacy," she said with wonder in her voice. I suppose to a human, it was a wonder to stand and talk to someone who had participated in such a major event from around 150 years before.

"I hadn't much of a uniform by the end of the war," I replied, lost in thought. "We were in rags and starving." I mentally shook myself from the depressing subject and continued in a cold voice, "It had no meaning for me after I became vampire." My maker had worked hard to make me see that point. Her _lessons_ were not soon forgotten.

"I've brought up something that upsets you. I am sorry. What should we talk about?" she asked as we turned around and continued back towards her home.

"Your life," I replied easily. Not only did I need to know more about her to court her properly, but also, I was curious about her.

"I get out of bed. Then I make it up right away. I eat breakfast. Toast, sometimes cereal, sometimes eggs, and coffee—and I brush my teeth and shower and dress. Sometimes I shave my legs, you know. If it's a workday, I go in to work. If I don't go in until night, I might go shopping, or take Gran to the store, or rent a movie to watch, or sunbathe. And I read a lot. I'm lucky Gran is still spry. She does the wash and the ironing and most of the cooking," she answered.

I noticed that she made no mention of a social life to speak of. I remembered her remarks from the night I gave her my blood and asked, "What about young men?"

"Oh, I told you about that. It's just impossible," she said matter-of-factly.

She seemed so flippant about it, that I couldn't help but ask quietly, "So what will you do, Sookie?"

"Grow old and die," she said shortly. But there was no self-pity or scorn in her voice, she was merely stating facts. I took her hand as I admired the fact that she felt no self-pity, nor did I feel pity for her myself, I had the feeling she was meant for more than an ordinary human life.

I found myself wanting to imagine what she might look like in the sunlight. "Take the clip out?" I questioned softly.

She shrugged, and then removed her hand from my own to remove the clip. She shook her head to loosen the locks of her hair, and my hand moved of its own volition to help spread her curls about her shoulders. She seemed to take this as an invitation to explore my face, and since I had touched her without permission, I allowed it. Her hands delicately stroked my sideburns.

"They're long," she said quietly.

"That was the fashion," I answered. "It's lucky for me I didn't wear a beard as so many men did, or I'd have it for eternity." In truth, though a man my age normally wore beards at the time, my wife had preferred me clean-shaven. She always said it reminded her of our youth, when we were first married.

"You never have to shave?"

"No, luckily I had just shaven." Not wanting to dwell on the time I was made vampire, I refocused my attention on her hair. My wife had had golden hair as well, though such light colored hair had not been common around this area in my human life. "In the moonlight, it looks silver," I said wondering at whether her locks would look golden in the sunlight.

She was obviously uncomfortable with the conversation because she changed it rather abruptly. "Ah. What do you like to do?"

A faint smile touched my lips. I removed my hands from her hair, and we continued on once again. "I like to read, too," I answered. "I like the movies ... of course, I've followed their whole inception. I like the company of people who lead ordinary lives. Sometimes I crave the company of other vampires, though most of them lead very different lives from mine." The last several years I had been working tirelessly on my database, so I had been in the company of many vampires. It was soothing to be in the company of this simple girl. _Perhaps instead of looking at this as a punishment from Sophie-Anne, I should look at it as a reprieve from the darkness of my kind._

"Do you like television?"

I found myself enjoying this simple conversation. "Sometimes. For a while I taped soap operas and watched them at night when I thought I might be forgetting what it was like to be human. After a while I stopped, because from the examples I saw on those shows, forgetting humanity was a good thing," I confessed. At times, I had become very melancholy about my lost humanity.

We were nearing her home, and I could see that light was spilling from within the house, but the quietness from inside told me that Adele had retired for the evening. I had intended to leave Sookie on her porch, as I remembered was the polite etiquette in courting from my time, but Sookie stopped me by pulling on my hand.

Very slowly, she placed her lips delicately on my cheek, and then inhaled my scent. That simple act was almost vampire-like, and combined with her closeness, and her smell, caused a shudder of pleasure to pass through me. I could not help but to turn my head and catch her lips with mine. Her arms snaked smoothly around my neck, pulling me closer to her, and it drove me to deepen the kiss as she parted her lips. I could feel some surprise on her part, I wondered if she had ever been kissed in such a fashion. As her breathing sped up, I felt her arousal and my own acutely. Her taste was like no other that I had tasted. It was divine. I knew if I did not stop now, I wouldn't be able to, and I would have her whether she wanted to be had or not. Not an altogether displeasing prospect, but if I remembered courtship correctly, that would be far to forward of an act for our first visit. In this moment however, my mind was filled with such a fog of arousal, that I couldn't clearly remember how human courtship was suppose to go.

Nevertheless, I pulled back, trying to sort out my thoughts. "Good night, Sookie," I told her with one last stroke of her golden locks.

"Good night, Bill," she said, and I was pleased that she sounded somewhat breathless. "I'll try to call some electricians tomorrow. I'll let you know what they say."

"Come by the house tomorrow night—if you're off work?" I asked hopefully.

"Yes," was her simple answer.

"See you then. Thanks, Sookie," I said, and then turned to walk slowly into the woods towards the cemetery that separated our properties. I had much to consider about this girl, and as much as I wanted to, I knew that I could delay a call to the queen no longer.

A/N: Ok, so I was able to get that out much sooner than I anticipated. I finished with some interviews today for an article, and just couldn't make myself sit down to focus on writing the damn thing. So, I procrastinated and worked a bit more on this instead and finished it. Oh well, the article is only due tomorrow. I wouldn't be a writer if I didn't push my deadlines now would I! ;) Oh, what the editor would say if she knew! Ha! She'd probably have a heart attack, they don't normally like it when you wait till the last minute, and I doubt she would be impressed that I worked on Fan fiction instead of my assignment. But then again, my favorite quote has always been, "I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by," by Douglas Adams.

Leave a review, and let me know what you think!


	5. Unwanted Visitors

**Chapter 5: Unwanted Visitors**

As I started walking through the cemetery separating the Stackhouse and Compton lands, I stopped as a peculiar scent caught my attention. _The shifter_. My nose wrinkled in distaste at the smell. Obviously, the shifter felt the need to trail Sookie and myself on our walk. I had not smelled him before, so apparently, the shifter had stayed far enough away and downwind to avoid my detection earlier, but I was sure that he had stalked us during our walk.

"What is your business here shifter," I hissed towards him, waiting for him to show himself. For a few moments, there was no answer, and I imagined the shifter was weighing the possibilities of making a quick escape. "Come out now!" I said forcefully.

The shifter, still in dog form, slunk out from the shadows of the tree line. After he had come to stand before me, he shifted back into human form. "I told you to stay away from Sookie," he seethed.

"Sookie seems to enjoy my company. I think we shall let her be the judge of whether or not I stay away from her," I replied.

For several moments, the shifter seemed to measure what he should say. I wondered what his attachment to the girl was. It was apparent that he had some kind of fondness for the girl, but I wondered if he knew the truth about the girl. Was that his reason for his fondness? He was a Supe, and was around the girl on a regular basis, surely he at least suspected something. She clearly didn't even smell wholly human.

It seemed the shifter was still weighing what to say, so in frustration at his silence, I spoke first. "You know that the girl is not altogether human, do you not?" I questioned curiously.

I could see that the shifter was gathering himself to deny this, but I was not fooled, I had seen that look of surprise on his face. Even if only for a moment. I cast a glare at him and held up my hand to stall whatever lies he might say.

Sighing, the shifter asked, "How did you find out?"

"She told me."

The shifter looked at me dubiously, but then conceded with a nod. "Because you saved her," he said quietly.

I made no movement to answer.

"Sookie doesn't really talk about what she can do," the shifter began, running his hand through his hair again.

"Maybe she doesn't talk to you about it," I interrupted.

Glaring at me, he continued, "Like I was saying, she doesn't talk about it, but it's not too hard to figure, if you know what you're looking for. Most people don't want to believe what she can do, or they're afraid of what she might hear if they do believe," he said with a shrug.

"You clearly know what she can do, yet you do not seem overly concerned about what she might hear from you," I said, still curious about his attachment to the girl.

Once again shrugging, he said, "I've got nothing to hide, so what do I care if Sook hears me." He looked at me curiously for a moment then asked, "What about you? I wouldn't think most vampires would be very excited about someone who could hear their thoughts."

"She cannot hear my thoughts," I said simply. Of this, I was now sure. If she had heard my thoughts tonight, she would have shown some sign of it.

The shifter seemed surprised by this, and considered it for a moment. "So what do you want with Sookie then?"

Of course, I could not tell anyone the truth about my task in Bon Temps, so I told him what seemed to be my mantra now. "I am mainstreaming. I wish to live here, and I enjoy the girl's company, and more importantly, she seems to enjoy _my_ company." I could not help the little dig, and sure enough, the shifter let a small growl escape.

I held up my hand again to forestall the shifters words, by the look on his face they would only be some further threats about staying away from the girl. "The girl is perfectly safe with me, so stifle your yipping, _shifter_. As long as the girl wants my company, she shall have it. You have no standing in the girl's life other than as her employer, and no right to continue stalking the girl. I will expect you to keep your distance from now on, unless the girl belongs to you?"

I knew she didn't belong to the shifter, and he even looked appalled that I would suggest it, but he also knew he had no basis to keep me from the girl. She was free in the Supe world, though she wouldn't be for long.

I continued on, "I suggest you allow the girl space to make her own decisions." I had no intention of letting her make on choice other than me, but if the illusion of choice would put her and the shifter at ease, so be it. I'd considered simply getting rid of the shifter, with his annoying questions, but he could be a good ally. He had an attachment to the girl, and had the ability to be around during the day. A part of me said I wouldn't have the girl to myself for long enough to be concerned about this, but the calculating part of my mind said to never dismiss someone who could be an ally, no matter how slim that chance.

The shifter seemed to except my words. We nodded to each other, and he shifted before turning and running into the woods again. It was an uneasy truce, but a truce nonetheless for now. I looked back towards the Stackhouse property again, considering whether or not I should check on the girl again before I returned to my own home for the rest of the evening, but I dismissed it. The girl was safe for the evening, and I could sense if she was in danger. I returned to my old home, determined to finish work soon on my light-tight space so I could cease sleeping in the ground.

* * *

After I had showered the next evening, I began tidying up my home. I could not clearly remember courting in my human life, but thought surely the girl would not be impressed by messiness. I had noticed that the Stackhouse residence was quite clean for humans of this era, so I was sure this would be appreciated. As I moved things about, and lit candles throughout the sitting room, I thought about how much easier it would be if the girl could be glamored. Then this charade of courtship would not be necessary.

A car pulling up caught my attention. It was somewhat earlier than I was expecting Sookie, but I was happy at the thought that she was coming so soon in the evening. As I moved by the window to make my way towards the door, I saw that I was mistaken.

Malcolm, Diane, another vampire, and two humans stepped out of a Lincoln Continental and made their way towards the front door. This was the worst possible timing for them to come by. They were not overly friendly towards humans, and would not make a good impression on Sookie. I wanted to introduce Sookie to vampire culture, so to speak, at some point, but I doubted she was yet ready for it.

I quickly grabbed my cell phone, calling the Stackhouse residence. Adele had thankfully given me the number the night before to coordinate my talk at her club. Unfortunately, after questioning Adele, I discovered that Sookie had been called in to work this afternoon. As I hung up the phone, a knock came at the front door. I had hoped to make a quick call to the shifter's bar to ask Sookie to come another night, but I knew it was best not to keep Malcolm waiting. He was notoriously impatient.

I opened the front door, and waited to see what these particular vampires wanted.

Malcolm looked me over for a moment before saying, "Why dear William, aren't you going to invite us in?"

"Yeah Bill, it's not polite to leave us standing in the cold," added Diane in a sultry tone, fingering the top edge of her spandex bra. Her only other clothing was spandex leggings. I had seen Diane in less, but that didn't mean I approved of her wardrobe choice.

"Of course, come in," I said in a stiff voice. I had little choice in the matter. Diane and from the looks of the other vampire, were both younger than myself, but Malcolm was somewhere around 300 years old. I would never stand in a fair fight against the three of them, so politeness was my only choice. Perhaps they would grow bored quickly and leave.

The three vampire and two humans made their way into my sitting room and made themselves comfortable. Diane took the opportunity to run her hand down my chest as she passed me, but I gave no reaction to her.

My maker had had some affinity for Malcolm in my younger days as they were roughly the same age, both around 300 now, and about sixty years after my turning, we had made our way back to Louisiana to see Queen Sophie-Anne in New Orleans. Malcolm had been there in New Orleans with his newest child, Diane. Malcolm had little interest in the female gender, but took a liking to the idea of a black child, a Negress, as they were known at the time. Having a black female companion was quite shocking to the humans of the South in the twenties, which Malcolm adored. She had been wild, even as a human and that drew Malcolm as well.

Diane had been newly turned then, and being relatively young myself, we had both been filled with lust. Malcolm rarely took female companions to his bed, even his own child, but had encouraged me to take his child. It had been simply fucking, even then in my mind, and it was nothing to me now. There was nothing about Diane that enticed me, but unfortunately, Diane seemed to like the pursuit of vampires who were uninterested in her.

I pushed Diane away saying in disgust, "You should put some clothes on, you look like a cheap prostitute."

Diane only laughed and said, "Oh, have I upset your human sensibilities Bill?"

Malcolm had seated himself on the sofa and pulled the male human onto his lap, stroking his chest, but watching me carefully over the human's shoulder.

"Why have you come here?" I asked Malcolm, as I still stood in the doorway to the sitting room.

"Why, to see you dear William. I can't believe you move back to Louisiana and don't stop in to see your dear friends Malcolm and Diane." I looked over at the other vampire who was currently standing behind the sofa staring at the other human, who had strewn herself on my other sofa. Malcolm saw where my gaze shifted and added, "This is our nest-mate Liam, he's been with us for nearly fifty years now."

We nodded to each other, but Liam continued to stare hungrily at the female human. He appeared rather young, and was obviously still quite hungry. It reminded me of my own thirst. I had chosen to ready my house for Sookie's visit before feeding for the evening, which consisted of drinking cold TrueBlood I kept in a cooler until my electricity was properly working.

"I am mainstreaming," I told Malcolm. "I wish to live a quiet existence here, away from other vampires," I added, trying to remain respectful.

"Ha, mainstreaming is a joke Bill, all that nasty synthetic blood. Come on, we could have some fun, just like the good old days," Diane said, once again rubbing her hands along my body and fingering what little material covered her body.

Once again, I pushed Diane away. I made a quick trip into the bathroom, grabbing a discarded shirt and tossed it at Diane. "Cover up."

Diane put it on, though she didn't bother buttoning it, with a smirk as she said, "Whatever you say Bill."

I wondered how Malcolm even knew I had returned to Louisiana and Bon Temps in specific, and wondered if Sheriff Northman hadn't sent them to check on me. I wondered if that was his standard mode of operation, or if he was suspicious of me. I would have to tread carefully regardless. Neither the Northman, nor Malcolm were vampires that I wanted as enemies.

If Malcolm was here on the Sheriff's orders, I was even more determined to keep Sookie away. Sophie-Anne's orders had been clear that she wanted the girl for herself, and would not share her with her sheriff. I was still uncomfortable with the idea of circumventing the area sheriff to acquire an asset from his area for her, but they were my orders, and if Sophie-Anne didn't want to share the girl with the Northman, that was her business. I wondered if the Northman would challenge his queen over a human, even a gifted human, but apparently, it was a chance the queen wasn't willing to take.

Diane had begun to wander around the sitting room, feigning interest in the furnishing, which were still sparse, and neither Liam nor Malcolm seemed to have anything more to say, though Malcolm continued to watch me over the human's shoulder as he continued his ministrations on him. More and more I was convinced this was a visit mandated by the sheriff.

I nodded politely to Malcolm saying, "I need to step upstairs for a moment."

As no one acknowledged my words, I went upstairs. I hoped it would put enough distance between myself and the other's that I wouldn't be overheard.

"Merlotte's Bar and Grill," came the shifter's voice as I placed my call.

"I wish to speak to Sookie," I said as loud as I dared so the others wouldn't overhear downstairs.

"She already left," was the shifter's tense reply.

I hung up without further comment. I could hear Diane making her way to the bottom of the stairs, so I knew I would not have time to try calling the Stackhouse residence again. As I descended the stairs, I brushed by Diane without comment. I was tired of her advances already. Perhaps it was being in my human home again, but I found myself missing the kind innocence of women from my human days.

Striding into the sitting room, I sat in the armchair in the corner, determined to simply wait for Malcolm and his nest to grow bored and leave. Hopefully Sookie would go home after work and not come here, or perhaps they would leave before she had a chance to arrive.

Hearing another car pull up, I knew I would not get that lucky. I shifted to stand and greet Sookie, and hopefully politely ask her to come another night as I currently had guests, even if they were uninvited, but Malcolm flicked his wrist at me saying, "Oh, no worries William, Diane will get the door."

I remained in my seat, determined to show no hint of emotion. If I showed interest in Sookie, Malcolm and Diane might decide it would be great sport to try and play with her as well, and their idea of playing would not appeal to Sookie no doubt.

Sookie's steps never faltered as she climbed the stairs to my front door, though I could feel nervousness and apprehension from her.

Diane opened the door as soon as the knock sounded on the door. "Hey, little human chick," Diane said in her normal sultry voice. I remained sitting, though I could feel Sookie's fear and apprehension grow. I hoped she would simply decide to come back another time, but of course, she pushed on. I was amazed at her bravery, even in the face of the fear I knew her to be feeling.

I still could not see Sookie from where I was sitting, but I could see Diane's back as she leaned in towards her as she spoke. "Hi! I was supposed to drop by tonight and give Bill some infor mation. Is he available?" she asked in a rather bright voice. Had she not had my blood, I would think she was completely fearless.

Diane laughed then shouted over her shoulder, "This little human gal here says she has some information for you, Bill!" I felt relief from Sookie before Diane continued on, "You wanna see this little thing? Or shall I just give her a love bite?"

I realized from the determination I felt from Sookie that she wouldn't be leaving without talking to me. Thinking once again about my maker's lessons, I decided that I could try to find the benefit from even this situation. This was perhaps not how I wanted to introduce to other vampires, but perhaps I could use Malcolm and Diane to make her see the dangers in other vampires, and therefore elevate myself in her opinion. She would see that I was the better suitor and that I would continue to protect her.

"Let her in," I told Diane quietly as I stood up and leaned against the wall leading towards the back of the house. I wanted to be able to move quickly if I needed to, but still appear aloof towards this human. I still didn't wish to tip my hand, as they say, with the others and let them know that I had any kind of interest in the girl, not unless I had to.

Sookie made her way into the sitting room, taking in the sight of my unwelcome guests, and then finally her eyes landed on me. I was surprised at the relief she felt when she saw me.

"Well, we can have a wonderful evening now," Malcolm said in an excited voice. "Is this a little friend of yours, Bill? She's so fresh." He always did love anything fresh, though preferably male.

"If you'll just excuse me and Bill a minute," Sookie said in a very polite even tone, a tight smile gracing her face, "I've been arranging for workmen for the house." She took a few more steps towards me, with her eyes locked on mine, almost pleading.

"And we heard Bill was on a diet of synthetic blood only," Liam said speaking for the first time tonight, "Guess we heard wrong, Diane."

Diane looked Sookie over closely then said, "I'm not so sure. She looks like a virgin to me."

Sookie took a few more steps towards me; I could feel her emotions, begging me to intercede. Unless Sookie was claimed by a single vampire, she would be considered fair game for any vampire, and I could not stand the thought of another tasting her sweet blood in this moment. I knew I had an opening by her asking me to act, so without hesitation, I took it. "Sookie is mine," I said coldly. Sookie looked at me, but wisely did not say anything to counter my claim.

"How good you been taking care of our Bill?" Diane asked snidely.

"None of your fucking business," Sookie answered, though she still wore her tight smile. I didn't approve of a woman like Sookie using such language, but couldn't help but admire her spirit, even in the face of vampires.

Malcolm seemed to find Sookie quite amusing thankfully, and threw back his head in laughter, and his nest-mates and the humans soon followed suit. Sookie continued to move closer as I kept my eyes trained on her, though I wished with all of my might that she would simply leave whatever information she had and go. It was still three vampires to only me, and I didn't want Malcolm to decide that he had an interest in Sookie. I could see Malcolm continue to study Sookie from the corner of my eye.

"You have a funny smile," Malcolm finally said. I had noticed this early on as well, but upon studying the girl, had decided that it was simply a nervous habit.

"Oh, Malcolm," said Diane. "All human women look funny to you."

Malcolm seemed to dismiss Sookie, and pulled the human to him for a kiss before pushing him away again and saying, "This is true, but there is something rare about this one. Maybe she has rich blood."

I could tell Malcolm was trying to goad me into a reaction since I had never claimed a human as my own before and was trying to discern why I had chosen this one. I schooled my features to remain impassive to give away nothing.

"Aw," said the human woman, finally speaking, "That's just crazy Sookie Stackhouse."

Sookie looked the woman over in confusion, but then seemed to place her somehow, though she said nothing. The woman sat up on the sofa, and was now being rubbed by and in return rubbing Liam. This was not really strange behavior for many vampires, but I could immediately feel Sookie's embarrassment, and see her face turn pale at the exchange between Liam and the human.

Malcolm was still looking intently at Sookie. "She's innocent," he said with excitement.

"She's mine," I hissed at Malcolm. I would not, and could not let anyone have this girl. Anyone, but the queen my mind added, almost as an afterthought.

"Now, Bill, you can't tell me you've been getting everything you need from that little thing," Diane said joining Malcolm in his goading. "You look pale and droopy. She ain't been taking good care of you." Still, Sookie continued to inch towards me.

"Here," offered Diane, with a smirk, "have a taste of Liam's woman or Malcolm's pretty boy, Jerry." The human woman ignored Diane and continued to work on Liam; now unzipping his pants, but the other human immediately came to stand in front of me. I knew it was considered rude to deny the offer of blood from another vampire's human, but I had intended to until the human wrapped his arms around my neck and pressed his face into my neck as well. My hunger was rapidly taking over, I needed to feed. The human licked my neck, and I felt my fangs slip out in response. I continued to look at Sookie, and I could feel her nearly overwhelming emotions, but my hunger _was_ overwhelming. My body shook with the effort of restraining myself, but I knew I wouldn't be able to keep holding back, so I leaned down towards the waiting blood right under my nose.

"No! He has the Sino-virus!" Sookie shouted, once again stepping towards me.

I looked up from the human's neck, my body breathing heavily in a very human response to my effort, but my fangs immediately retracted when Sookie's words registered.

"Sino-AIDS," Sookie said, as though she needed to clarify. Of course, all vampires were aware of the dangerous effects of the Sino-virus. It could leave, especially a young vampire like myself, weak for a month, even more after feeding from an infected human. That meant we were weak to an attack from almost anyone. I looked over at Malcolm to gauge whether or not this had been his intent, and trap they were luring me into, but from the anger apparent on his face and the others, I knew he had fed from the human too.

Without warning, the human launched himself at Sookie, wrapping his hands around her neck and pressing her against the wall. As he pulled his arm back to strike Sookie, I stepped behind him and grabbed his arm. "Let go of her throat," I hissed. The human seemed to freeze, and made no move to let Sookie go. Malcolm had moved in as well, and grabbed the human by the legs as I held his hand. Sookie made a whimpering sound and I could feel her emotions swirling around. When her eyes began to get unfocused, I snapped the human's wrist, causing him to collapse.

As I stepped in front of Sookie to examine her throat, Malcolm picked up the human and threw his unconscious body back onto the sofa where they had been sitting. I could see out of the corner of my eye that he was focused on glaring at the human, likely trying to decide the best way to kill him. Sookie's emotions continued to fly around too fast for me to even discern, so I focused on softly massaging the area that was already bruising. It was my fault that the human even laid a hand on her, but I had still been shocked by Sookie's revelation, and in part trying to figure out how to cover up how it was I knew Sookie had gotten the information. I was still struggling with what to say. I placed a finger gently across her lips, silently pleading with her to remain quiet.

I put my arm around her, and turned to face the room.

"This has all been very entertaining," Liam said as the human continued to give him a hand-job. "But I think we should be driving back to Monroe. We have to have a little talk with Jerry when he wakes up, right, Malcolm?"

Thankfully, Malcolm seemed too angry to say anything, and simply nodded as he threw the human over his shoulder.

I thought luck would be on my side until Diane said, "But fellas, we haven't found out how this little gal knew."

Diane was infuriating and tacky, but she was smarter than many vampires gave her credit for, another reason Malcolm had chosen to turn her.

Liam climaxed, and then said, "Thanks, Janella. That's a good question, Malcolm. As usual, our Diane has cut to the quick." The nest-mates shared a small laugh, and then eyed Sookie suspiciously.

"You can't speak yet, can you, sweetheart?" I said, squeezing Sookie's shoulder so she would know to play along. She took the hint and shook her head.

"I could probably make her talk," Diane offered.

"Diane, you forget," I reminded her.

"Oh, yeah. She's yours," Diane replied, though she didn't back away.

I had been polite thus far, but now I said in a clear voice, "We'll have to visit some other time," making it clear that I expected them to leave. I had been more than hospitable, and though I had protected Sookie, I feared that their visit had set our courtship back.

Liam zipped up his pants, saying, "Out, Janella, we're being evicted."

Malcolm walked out the front door without another word. I was glad he seemed too angry with the human to really process how Sookie knew what she knew.

As Diane followed the others out she said, "I'll leave you two lovebirds on your own, then. It's been fun, honey," and then slammed the door closed.

I watched Sookie carefully. Her emotions were still a tangled mess to me. The instant the car started and began to pull away however, the last bit of strength seemed to drain out of Sookie, and she fainted. Moving quickly, I scooped her up and placed her gently on the sofa, trying to figure out if Sookie was seriously injured, or merely overwhelmed.

She was only out for the briefest of moments before she came to gagging. I helped her bend over the edge of the sofa, but she quickly regained her composure somewhat. She seemed merely overwhelmed. "Do vampires act like that?" she whispered, her voice hoarse. "They were horrible."

"I tried to catch you at the bar when I found out you weren't at home," I explained. "But you'd left." _Nothing seems to go as I planned for it to when this girl was involved. What was it about her that causes everything to go wrong?_

Her emotions seemed to spill over, and tears began to fall. I had not been around a crying female since I was human, but seemed to remember that my wife usually liked to be left alone until she could compose herself again. I merely handed her a handkerchief from my pocket and sat on the floor until she could regain her composure.

The silence, punctuated only by her crying was unnerving, compelling me to say something. "When vampires live in nests," I said suddenly, desperate to break the silence, and try to explain our behavior to her, "they often become more cruel because they egg each other on. They see others like themselves constantly, and so they are reminded of how far from being human they are. They be come laws unto themselves. Vampires like me, who live alone, are a little better reminded of their former humanity."

She said nothing, but seemed to be calming somewhat, so I continued, "Sookie, our life is seducing and taking and has been for centuries, for some of us. Synthetic blood and grudging hu man acceptance isn't going to change that overnight—or over a decade. Diane and Liam and Malcolm have been together for fifty years." I could feel how disturbed she was by the experience, and was desperate to at least somewhat repair the damage.

"How sweet," she said bitterly, "Their golden wedding anniversary."

"Can you forget about this?" I wondered aloud, looking Sookie closely in the eye, trying vainly to see if I could take the memory from her.

"I don't know," she said quietly. "Do you know, I didn't know if you could do it?"

"Do …?" I questioned.

"Get— " she stopped, and her cheeks colored in embarrassment, "An erection," she continued looking away.

It was a struggle not to laugh or smile as I replied, "You know better now. We can have sex, but we can't make children or have them. Doesn't it make you feel better, that Diane can't have a baby?" I asked, nearly shuddering at the absurd thought.

"Don't—you—laugh—at—me," she said, her temper flaring.

"Oh, Sookie," I said almost fondly, moving to touch her cheek. She jerked away from me, and stumbled to her feet. I remained on the floor, and did not move to touch her again.

I watched Sookie move towards the door and picked up her purse. She pulled a piece of paper out of it and laid it on the table by the door saying, "I have to go."

I moved quickly to stand before her, "Can I kiss you good-bye?" I asked. She had kissed me the night before, and I was finding that to be a pleasant part of courting.

"No," she said vehemently. "I can't stand it after them."

I didn't understand. She had kissed me goodnight last night, and tonight I had proven to be a strong suitor by protecting her. _Why wouldn't she let me kiss her tonight?_ I pushed the thought of her irritating rejection aside and said, "I'll come see you."

"Yes. Maybe," she answered.

I started to reach past her to open the door, but she flinched, then spun on her heel and ran for her car. I sighed at the less than ideal way the evening had turned out, and went back into my house. I decided that it might not be too late to make some phone calls, and started down the list that Sookie had left for me.

Thankfully, the contractors that she had left phone numbers for were expecting my call, and though weary, they were willing to come out and do estimates on work for the house.

Shortly after I had finished my last call, I heard another car pull up. In spite of myself, I hoped it might be Sookie coming back after she had calmed down enough to realize how well I had protected her, but when I answered the door, I was disappointed to see a dark-haired human.

"I heard you're new in town," she said in a sultry voice. She was wearing the same Merlotte's uniform that Sookie wore, so she was obviously also a waitress. I vaguely remembered seeing her there the first night I had been in to watch Sookie.

I merely raised an eyebrow at her and waited.

"I figured you might be lonely and looking for some company," she said, making an all too obvious effort to thrust her chest out at me.

My mood had turned sour the instant I had opened the door to yet another unwanted visitor, especially when I had gotten my hopes up that it might be Sookie.

"You think you can provide company for a vampire," I said coolly.

"Honey, I can provide you all kinds of company," she replied reaching out and running her hand down my arm.

I grabbed her arm and pulled her downward, making her look up at even more of an angle at me. "It is not wise to touch a vampire without permission," I hissed down at her.

I could smell alcohol on her breath as she answered, "I'll touch you anywhere you give me permission to."

I pushed her away and hissed, "Get out," before slamming the door closed.

As she cursed and walked back to her car, I wondered to myself why I didn't take her for a fuck and feed. She was more than willing, and though I had had several TrueBloods, they did not meet all of our needs. Sookie would likely be unwilling for some time, so why not feed on the other barmaid? I pushed the thought of what Sookie might think if I did feed on that woman out of my head, and returned irritably to fixing my sleeping space.

I was more than frustrated with Sookie tonight, and wanted to push her from my thoughts for now. I would start over again with the girl tomorrow if I had to, though I hoped I didn't.

* * *

A/N: That took a little longer coming out than I thought it would, sorry. But I had inspiration to work on my companion piece for _The Funeral of Hearts_ finally, so I finished that. Check it out if you haven't, it's called _An Ode for Cruelty_. It's Sookie's POV for _The Funeral of Hearts_.

As always, let me know what you think, I love to hear from you guys! Do you remember whom it was that went to visit Bill that night after Sookie and the others left? It is mentioned in the book, but not discussed a whole lot; I for one tend to forget it altogether.

Review!


	6. A Push into the Future

**Chapter 6: A Push into the Future**

It was the phone call I had been dreading. I knew I would have to tread carefully when I spoke to Sophie-Anne about Sookie, so after my walk with Sookie the night before Malcolm's visit, I had put off calling the Queen once again. So far, I had called her only once and talked to Andre to let them know I was in the area and would make contact with the girl soon. Of course, that had been the night the drainers had caught me, and I had made contact with the girl, but I was not yet ready to divulge any information about her at that point. I still wasn't sure how much I wanted to divulge.

I had made another call, and left another message with Andre the night after my string of unwanted visitors. Trying to keep things simple, I told Andre that I was sure that the girl was a telepath and that I would continue investigating her to better understand her abilities and any limitations, as well as trying to gain control of the girl. Andre had seemed distracted and simply said he would pass the information along to the queen and that she would be in touch.

"You have been there for a week, I would have expected more timely reports on your assignment," came the queen's voice, not even bothering with a greeting.

"Of course my Queen, I merely wished to be sure of my findings before I made any reports to you. She is indeed a telepath," I answered, hoping my discovery would sway the queen's anger from my lack of diligent reports.

Sophie-Anne's voice huffed as she said, "This much we knew from what my Hadley had already said. Don't tell me that this is all that you have discovered. Perhaps I should find another who might be better suited to the task," she threatened.

"That won't be necessary," I hastily assured, visions of my own project never coming to fruition passing through my mind. "I have seen her use her abilities, she knew two humans planned to drain me by reading their minds," I explained, leaving out that they had nearly done so or that she had read the mind of the human I nearly fed from. "And I am sure that she can only read human minds."

There was a thoughtful silence before she queried, "You're sure that she cannot read vampire minds?"

"Yes, my Queen. She would have known that my intentions were to acquire her for you, your Majesty, but she is completely unaware of my intentions," I assured her.

"Hmm," the Queen said in a thoughtful voice, almost to herself. "That is too bad; I could have used such a talent right now."

She was silent for a moment. "Your Majesty?" I prompted.

"What are future plans? Is the girl securely under your thumb yet?" she finally asked.

"I have begun visiting the girl, and her grandmother, trying to gain the girl's confidence," I answered slowly.

"You are courting her … like a human!? Why? Just glamor the girl, surely you can handle that," she said incredulously.

I felt myself stiffen at her words, but answered as calmly as I could. "She does not respond to my influence whatsoever."

Sophie-Anne was silent for several moments. "Well, I was not expecting this development." Several more moments of thoughtful silence followed.

"My Queen, perhaps it would just be best if I brought her to New Orleans and to you now. You and Hadley can introduce her to vampire culture and have her under your own thumb sooner," I offered. I was tiring of playing mainstreaming vampire, and trying to "court" this human. After the difficulties of the night of Malcolm's visit, I was seriously thinking that no matter how tasty the girl was that she wasn't worth the effort. She could not be glamored, so it would be a never-ending battle to keep her in check.

"No!" the Queen answered quickly, and then in a more regulated voice said, "No, you cannot bring her to New Orleans yet."

She did not elaborate. "But my Queen, the sooner she joins you New Orleans, the sooner she will become accustomed to her situation and be useful to you," I insisted. A part of me cringed at my offer, wanting to keep Sookie to myself, but the logical part of my mind knew that I would be better off getting rid of the girl quickly.

The queen huffed again and said, "What I am about to say to you shall not leave your lips, is that understood?"

"Of course," I answered.

"I am currently in marriage negations with Arkansas. As such, he has several members of his own court carefully watching me and mine. I do not want to alert him to this particular asset, I wish to keep her _for myself_," she said, a not so gentle reminder that I could not have her either.

At least some things were making more sense to me now. This explained not only why she wanted her kept in Bon Temps for now, but also why she and Andre seemed preoccupied.

"When did you last see the girl?"

"She came by two nights ago," I answered, leaving out the subsequent disastrous results of Malcolm's coinciding visit.

"And when shall you see her again?"

"We have no plans at the moment," I answered carefully. I had been busy spending the last several nights working with contactors on my home. I had also been avoiding the girl, trying to work out what my next move should be. Perhaps I was avoiding the girl.

"You will continue your current plan with the girl. I am sure that you are not too eager to have to continue courting a human, but I think it is a good plan to bring her under our control given the circumstances, even if a bit old-fashioned, so you shall continue. It may remain difficult to reach me for some time. Negotiations may take a while, but you _will_ give my Andre more timely reports. I expect to know about any discoveries with this girl sooner, and I expect you to entrench yourself into her life more fully, immediately," Sophie-Anne directed before hanging up.

I closed my cell phone, considering what my next plan of action would be. Mostly I was upset that I was forced to continue my charade of courting a human girl, but a small, unidentifiable part of me was relieved that I would have some more time with the girl. She was intriguing, and at least now, I would have more time to decide why even a small part of me felt this way.

I made my way across the cemetery separating our properties to do my Queen's bidding. I would endeavor to further entrench myself with the girl—as my Queen ordered. Perhaps her order was the push I needed to stop avoiding her.

As I reached the Stackhouse home, I saw that Sookie's old car was not present. I began making my way down the drive, intent on going to Merlotte's to see if she was still working, but partway down the drive, I felt that she was getting closer. It was still an odd feeling to me to sense another in this way, other than my maker, but it was useful. I decided to lean against a tree along her driveway, where she would be sure to see me and wait for her.

She came down the driveway shortly, though she started to drive past, only getting slightly past me before coming to a stop. I made my way to her door, and opened it, allowing her to step out.

She, however, kept her eyes trained on the ground at her feet. "Are you going to look at your feet all night, or are you going to talk to me?" I questioned, a little surprised by her subdued behavior. This was not the actions of the girl I was beginning to grow accustomed to. _Am I becoming accustomed to her_? I wondered, but then pushed the thought aside with all of the other thoughts of her that I need to evaluate.

"Something happened you should know about," she told me, still not looking up.

My conversation with the Queen came back to me. I remembered her disbelieving voice as I admitted that the girl could not be glamored. Perhaps if I tried again it might work. "Tell me," I commanded, pushing as much of my influence at her as I could, but she made a motion with her hand to push it away. _She can obviously feel my influence, though it does not affect her_, I thought with a sigh.

"I can't stand up," she said wearily. "Let's sit on the ground or something. My feet are tired."

I searched my blood, and could indeed feel her exhaustion. I did not answer but picked her up easily, relishing the feeling of her warm skin, before I deposited her on the hood of her car.

I crossed my arms as I stood in front of her and said again, "Tell me."

"Dawn was murdered. Just like Maudette Pickens."

"Dawn?" I questioned. Neither name meant anything to me, but I had heard the murmurings of the locals about some girl that had been killed, so I assumed that would be this Maudette.

I could feel a sliver of relief from the girl, though I could not understand why. "The other waitress at the bar," she told me.

The image of the waitress with the bad, bottle-dyed red hair came to mind first. "The redheaded one, the one who's married so often?" I questioned. I thought it ridiculous that humans continued to marry these days and then divorce such a short time later. It was almost unheard of in my time to divorce. _Only death separated husbands from their wives_, I thought bitterly about my own marriage.

I felt even more relief from Sookie, "No, the dark-haired one, the one who kept bumping into your chair with her hips to get you to notice her," she answered.

Her relief was strange to me. But now I knew the name of my other unwanted visitor last night. At least she would not make another unwanted visit. I wondered what any of this meant to Sookie. "Oh, that one. She came to my house," I answered truthfully. I vaguely remembered that my wife had valued honesty over sheltering her from hard truths. I remembered nights after the war when nightmares of old battles had plagued me. I had tried to brush over my time serving in the army and the battles fought, but that had created many more arguments between us. After I had shared my experiences with her, I had actually felt my nightmares lessen, and hold less strength over me.

"Dawn? When?" she asked in surprise.

"After you left the other night. The night the other vampires were there. She's lucky she missed them. She was very confident of her ability to handle anything," I told her.

"Why is she so lucky? Wouldn't you have protected her?" she questioned.

_Why on earth would she think that? Why would I care about this woman?_ "I don't think so," I said, once again going with blunt honesty.

"You are …" she started to say.

"I'm a vampire, Sookie. I don't think like you. I don't care about people automatically," I interrupted.

"You protected me."

_I'd be dead if I hadn't._ I shuddered at the thought of having to inform the Queen that I had failed in my assignment. "You're different."

"Yeah? I'm a waitress, like Dawn. I come from a plain family, like Maudette. What's so different?" she questioned.

_So many reasons_, I thought. _They were worth nothing—less than nothing—but this girl's worth could be endless._ I placed a finger on her forehead, pointing out the reason for all of this, "Different," I told her. "You're not like us. But you're not like them, either."

I felt rage flare up inside her; it came so quickly that her actions caught me by surprise. She swung back and hit me hard in the side of the face, much harder than I would have given the small human credit for. Instinctively, I pulled her into my chest, pinning her arms against her side. My darker nature wanted to harm the human for daring to strike me, but I knew better than to harm her, so to keep both us from doing something stupid, I held her in place.

"No!" she screamed, all the while kicking and fighting. It was pointless of course; she had nowhere near my strength. Her struggles did enflame my vampire side however, and I had to struggle even more to control my darker nature, to keep from throwing her down and fucking her. Her breathing became ragged before she stopped struggling, and my own body matched hers in my effort to control myself.

"Why did you think I needed to know about Dawn?" I asked desperate for something to distract me from thoughts of how her warm body would feel, yielding to mine.

"Well, Mr. Lord of Darkness," she said sounding furious, "Maudette had old bite marks on her thighs, and the police told Sam that Dawn had bite marks, too."

As I thought this over, I loosened my grip on her, and began rubbing her back to soothe her, as I had done with my daughter, many years before. "You imply they didn't die from these bites," I said. _Is she worried that a vampire has killed these women_? I wondered. It was possible, though not probable that a vampire had killed these women and not drained them. I wondered if she worried that it was Malcolm and his nest.

"No. From strangulation," she answered.

"Not a vampire, then," I told her. At least it was extremely unlikely.

"Why not?"

"If a vampire had been feeding from these women, they would have been drained instead of strangled. They wouldn't have been wasted like that," I explained carefully.

"Then, either you have a crafty vampire with great self-control, or you have someone who's determined to kill women who've been with vampires."

"Hmmm," I said, wondering at her shrewdness. "Do you think I'd do that?" I wondered out loud.

She wiggled some in my arms and finally looked up into my eyes. "You've taken great care to point out how heartless you are," she told me. "What do you really want me to believe?"

I had, but I was surprised that part of me didn't want her to think that. "I could have killed them, but I wouldn't do it here, or now," I answered. If I were going to stay here long-term, it wouldn't be wise to start killing off the food supply. "This is where I want to stay. I want a home." It slipped out before I could stop myself or figure out where it came from.

I could feel the beginnings of pity from her. This creature—who had lived a difficult life herself … I didn't want her to pity me. "Don't pity me, Sookie. That would be a mistake," I said staring into her eyes, willing her to pity me no more than I pitied her.

"Bill, you can't glamor me, or whatever you do. You can't enchant me into pulling my T-shirt down for you to bite me, you can't convince me you weren't ever here, you can't do any of your usual stuff. You have to be regular with me, or just force me."

"No," I said, coming closer to her. I was surprised how much that simple accusation disturbed me. "I won't force you." And I knew it to be true.

"So, if it wasn't you," she pushed on, "then Maudette and Dawn knew another vampire. Maudette went to the vampire bar in Shreveport. Maybe Dawn did, too. Will you take me there?"

_She wants me to take her to Northman's bar! I can't do that, the Queen said to keep her away from him_. I was about to try and talk her out of it, but then I saw and felt the determination coming from her. I knew she would go, regardless of whether or not I took her, and at least if I took her, I might be able to steer her away from Eric. I doubted she would look anything like his usual fare, so maybe we could get in and out without attracting much attention. I also knew that this would also go a long way towards my goal of entrenching myself in her life. This would be a "date" I believed humans called it.

"Why?" I asked, still hoping that maybe she could be talked out of it.

"I'm not sure Andy Bellefleur will go to the trouble," she said, though it tasted of a lie.

"There are still Bellefleurs here," I asked, my mind instantly drawn to old memories of the war.

"Yes, lots of them. Andy is a police detective. His sister, Portia, is a lawyer. His cousin Terry is a veteran and a bartender. He substitutes for Sam. There are lots of others," she said, though her voice seemed very far away.

Screams from long ago filled my mind, and the sound of the shot as it rang out … "Bellefleur …"

"Bill," Sookie squeaked, squirming a little.

The vision dissipated rapidly when I realized I had been crushing Sookie. "Excuse me," I said stiffly, the memory of the vision clinging a little more strongly than the vision itself.

"I have to go to bed," she told me. "I'm really tired, Bill."

I set her down on the gravel road from her car. "You told those other vampires that I belonged to you," she said, thought I didn't detect much emotion from her.

"Yes," I said simply.

"What exactly did that mean?"

"That means that if they try to feed on you, I'll kill them. It means you are my human," I explained.

"I have to say I'm glad you did that, but I'm not really sure what being your human entails," she said. I was right, she was shrewd. "And I don't recall being asked if that was okay with me."

"Whatever it is, it's probably better then partying with Malcolm, Liam, and Diane," I answered, not wanting to get into the details of what it actually entailed.

"Are you going to take me to the bar?" she questioned. Once again, I felt her determination. She would go regardless, so I might as well take her and ensure that she didn't draw unwanted attention to herself. I also couldn't deny that, though contradictory, it would be somewhat enjoyable to be able to show her off. As a vampire, I could feel the need to make other vampire's jealous of what was mine.

"What's you next night off?" I asked.

"Two nights from now."

"Then, at sunset. I'll drive," I answered.

"You have a car?" she asked bewildered.

_Does she think I run everywhere_? I had to fight to suppress my laughter. "How do you think I get places?" An image of a jealous Viking flitted through my mind as I moved through the woods, though I knew I should keep her from him. "Sookie. Do me proud," I said over my shoulder as I moved towards my house again.

* * *

A/N: This is a bit shorter of a chapter, but it was necessary as a gap filler before the trip to Fangtasia. _That's_ going to be an interesting chapter to write!

And a big shout-out to cretin who caught my mistake of spelling messaging, instead of massaging, and hdgcat who caught my mistake about the color of Bill's wife's hair. She, and their daughter, were blond, she wasn't dark haired like him. I had totally forgotten that, so thank you both very much for catching those mistakes. I'm sure I'll make more, so if you guys catch something feel free to give me a shout, I will fix them immediately. Thanks you guys!!

As always, let me know what you thought, and thanks for your reviews!

Sarifina


	7. One of God's Fools

**Chapter 7: One of God's Fools**

Two nights later, shortly after first dark, I made my way to the Stackhouse home in my Cadillac to pick Sookie up. As I parked my car, I could see that Sookie's car was gone, and I could feel that she wasn't near. I made my way up the front steps of the porch to ask Adele where Sookie was.

After knocking on the door, Adele invited me in. I hesitated just outside the door asking, "Is Sookie home? I was to take her out this evening."

Adele gestured inside again, saying, "She'll be back shortly, she had to stop by work to pick up her paycheck, please come in and wait."

I nodded my acceptance and followed her into the sitting room, once again taking a seat on the sofa.

Adele took a seat on the arm of the chair in the corner. "What are your intentions with my granddaughter?" she asked.

I struggled to keep the surprise from showing on my face. Her question made some sense; she was after all the matriarch of her family, so it was her duty to inquire about suitors' intentions with her granddaughter. Still I considered my answer carefully. "I find I quite enjoy your granddaughter's company, and wish to know her better. I would like, at the very least, to count myself as a friend to you, as well as your granddaughter," I said slowly.

Adele nodded, almost to herself. "Where is it you are taking my granddaughter tonight then?"

"A bar in Shreveport," I answered cautiously.

"That vampire bar I've heard about?" she asked arching an eyebrow. It seemed Sookie came by her shrewdness honestly.

"Yes, ma'am, it is."

"Was this her idea or yours?" Adele continued to question.

"It was Sookie's idea, I thought it best that I accompany her there," I answered truthfully. Did she know what Sookie's motives were?

Again, Adele nodded thoughtfully. Perhaps she did know what was going on with Sookie. "I had thought as much," she confirmed. "Sookie may be a bit naïve yet, but I haven't lived as long as I have by being naïve. It's dangerous taking Sookie to a vampire bar isn't it? Because of her ability?" she said pointing to her forehead.

I said nothing for a moment, wondering how much Sookie had told her grandmother. Adele sensed my hesitation and continued, "Like I said, Mr. Compton, I may be old, but I'm not naïve. I know if anyone would notice how different my Sookie is, it would be someone who's different them self. Sookie seems more comfortable around you than she is around most people, although I think she's still a bit … hesitant about your particular nature," she said carefully. "But my Sookie deserves to have some good in her life, and if you bring her a bit of happiness, then so be it. I want you to promise me something Mr. Compton."

_Very shrewd_, I thought. "And what would that be Mrs. Stackhouse?" I questioned curiously.

"Please, call me Adele," she said, then shifted before continuing. "I want you to promise me to look after my granddaughter, not only tonight, but in the future. I've got this feeling like her future is about to change quickly now, and I'm not sure if she's altogether ready for it, Mr. Compton."

"Then please, call me Bill, ma'am," I told her. I paused for several moments, considering her request. I would not lie to myself, regardless of whatever my situation might become with Sookie, I liked Adele. I liked her strength of character, her shrewdness, her bluntness, and her protectiveness of Sookie. I wondered what it was like to feel so fiercely protective of someone. "I will look after her," I answered. My vampire nature rebelled at the thought; it was dangerous to make such a promise, to potentially put myself in harm's way. Perhaps it was whatever part of humanity that clung to my being that wanted to know what it felt like to be and feel protective that answered her. Either way, she looked pleased with my answer.

Before either of us could say more, we heard Sookie's car pull up. I had been too focused on our conversation to notice Sookie's approach, but I could sense her now.

As she walked in through the front door, I felt myself flush with anger. She was wearing a very tight, very short, very revealing white dress with red flowers on it. It was a beautiful dress, and she did look beautiful in it. But Adele's words came back to me. I had just promised her that I would look after the girl. I may have originally wanted to show off Sookie at Fangtasia, but I knew now that would be a mistake. The way Sookie looked she was sure to garner attention, and most likely, the wrong kind of attention. My emotions continued to war within me, the darker side wanting, _needing_, to show her off and tell all the world that she was mine. But I had made a promise to Adele, and as crazy as that promise might be, I was determined to at least try and keep it now.

"Is this all right?" she asked, her voice anxious. Apparently I was letting too many of my emotions show through.

"Yes," I answered, struggling to keep my voice even. Visions of the scores of vampires that would want her, flashed through my mind. I wanted to prove to them all that she was mine, but I knew this was a mistake now. Sookie would not understand, and I doubted she would be pleased with me telling a bar full of vampires that she was mine.

"Anyone with a brain in his head has got to admit that Sookie is one of the prettiest girls around," Adele said, her voice underlined with a steel force.

_No doubt—but that is precisely the problem if you truly want me to protect her_, I thought to myself. I answered, "Oh, yes," still struggling to keep my voice steady. _Nothing ever seems to go as I plan it with this girl._

I could feel displeasure coming off Sookie in waves. "Shall we go, then?" she questioned stiffly.

"Yes. Good-bye, Mrs. Stackhouse. It was a pleasure seeing you again," I answered, standing up and moving towards Sookie.

"Well, you two have a good time. Drive careful, Bill, and don't drink too much," Adele warned me.

I felt my eyebrow raise, wondering if she meant Sookie or me. "No, ma'am," I answered regardless.

I carefully walked Sookie out the door and opened my car door, placing her inside. After I got into the driver's side, I began driving in silence.

"I'm sorry I'm not dressed correctly," Sookie said carefully not looking at me.

I was worried about protecting Sookie, but I never said she wasn't dressed correctly, after all, I _had_ told her to make me proud. Perhaps her shifter boss had said something when she picked up her paycheck. A dangerous thought flashed through my mind, _Did she read my mind? Is that why she is worried about being dressed incorrectly?_

I slammed on the brakes, skidding to a stop on the gravel road. "Who said that?" I asked, forcing my voice to be gentle.

"You looked at me as though I'd done something wrong," she snapped back. I studied her, but could not see nor could I feel any deception on her part.

"I'm just doubting my ability to get you in and out without having to kill someone who wants you," I answered in brutal honesty.

"You're being sarcastic," she said stiffly, still avoiding my gaze.

I had never liked being called a liar. I gripped the back of her neck, forcing her to turn and look me in the eye. "Do I look like I am?"

"Ah … no," she stuttered.

"Then accept what I say," I told her, letting go of her neck, and beginning our drive again.

Our drive was silent. I was still struggling to regain control of my emotions, and Sookie, seemed content enough to listen to the music I played.

As we walked up to the front of Fangtasia, I saw that Shelly was working the door tonight. I had seen her a few months before on my way through to New Orleans to visit the Queen. I had only been interested in finding an easy meal that night, though I had shared Shelly's bed for a few hours too.

As was protocol, she asked for Sookie's ID while nodding to me.

"I haven't been carded in years," Sookie said, while fishing through her purse.

"I can no longer tell human ages, and we must be careful we serve no minors. In any capacity," she said, barely hiding a leer at Sookie. Then she turned her eyes to me, and eyed me speculatively, obviously remembering our night. It had been nothing special in my eyes, just another night of fucking another vampiress.

"I haven't seen you in a few months," Shelly said in a sweet voice.

"I'm mainstreaming," I told her hoping that she would take the hint that I wasn't interested. Luckily, she simply nodded and left it at that.

As we walked towards the bar Sookie whispered, "What were YOU telling her?"

Whispering in a bar full of vampires was a waste, so I simply answered, "That I'm trying to live among humans."

I could see Sookie take in the bar's décor in a puzzled fascination. The bar was in full swing, filled with the normal mix of fangbangers, vampires, and tourists looking to take a walk on the darker side of life. I looked around as well, trying to see the bar through her eyes. How it must look to someone as innocent and pure as she was. All of the blackness and darkness of soul and spirit that abounded here. _Naïve indeed_, I thought remembering my conversation with Adele. "You look like a white candle in a coal mine," I found myself whispering in her ear.

My comment had one good affect—she laughed, and I felt some tenseness leave her. At the bar, I ordered a synthetic blood. They perhaps were not filling, but they did indeed satisfy one's nutritional needs. I made a note to myself that Sookie ordered a gin and tonic. I saw Long Shadow's fangs run out when he caught a whiff of Sookie's smell. Even in this crowded bar, her scent stood out.

"How's it going, Bill?" Long Shadow asked. I was surprised he even deemed me worthy of speaking with. Long Shadow was several hundred years old, and thought very little of younger vampires, and even less of humans. "Long time, no see. This your meal for the night?" he asked, nodding towards Sookie. Of course, his interest was solely in a possible tasty meal.

I did not want to claim Sookie as my own again, remembering her displeasure at the statement. Perhaps this would be a way to … win favor with the girl.

"This is my friend Sookie. She has some questions to ask," I told him carefully, trying to tread a careful line with this inquiry. I wondered what Eric's response would be if he knew we were asking questions in his bar. Perhaps my impression of him the night I checked in was accurate, and he was bored with his position. Maybe he wouldn't notice.

"Anything, beautiful woman," Long Shadow said, smiling at Sookie.

"Have you seen this woman, or this one, in the bar?" Sookie asked, pulling two newspaper clippings out of her purse. "Or this man?" she questioned, pulling out a picture of the man I knew to be her brother. I wondered at her questioning of her brother. Did she suspect him being involved in this? Then, I remembered hearing the gossiping of locals that he had been involved with the two girls, so perhaps the authorities were suspecting her brother and she was protecting him. It would certainly explain some of her motives.

I half expected Long Shadow not to answer, but he carefully looked them over and said, "Yes to the women, no to the man, though he looks delicious." He looked up at Sookie and smiled, "Your brother, perhaps?" he accurately guessed. It was an easy guess; they had the same hair, and many of the same strong beautiful features.

"Yes," she answered.

"What possibilities," Long Shadow whispered, obviously imagining possible three-ways.

Sookie did not react, only asking, "Do you remember who the women hung around with?"

"That's something I wouldn't know," Long Shadow said carefully. "That's something we don't notice, here. You won't, either."

Sookie seemed to understand our precarious position. "Thank you, I appreciate your taking the time," she said starting to gather up her pictures.

Long Shadow didn't seem ready for her to leave though. "That one," he pointed at the woman that had come to my house, "she wanted to die."

"How do you know?" Sookie asked.

"Everyone who comes here does, to one extent or another. That is what we are. Death."

I felt Sookie shudder at Long Shadow's dark philosophical musings, and decided to end the conversation. I took her arm and led her towards an open booth.

As I took a sip of the blood, I saw Sookie grimace. Apparently the reality of my "particular nature" as Adele put it, really _hadn't_ set-in for Sookie. "This is the reality, Sookie," I told her. "I need it to live."

"Of course," she said, struggling to be matter-of-fact about it. Taking a deep breath she asked, "Do you suppose I want to die, since I came here with you?"

In truth, I wasn't sure I knew her well enough to answer. "I think you want to find out why other people are dying," I told her truthfully, at least what I felt right now to be true.

I saw a fangbanger slink over out of the corner of my eye. "Hi, dangerous," she said seductively to me, tapping my bottle of blood. "I have the real stuff," she said stroking her neck. There was absolutely nothing appetizing about her or her blood, especially not with Sookie's sweet smell and body next to me.

I could hear Sookie's sharp intake of breath at the fangbanger's brazen offer, but she said nothing and did not move. "I have a companion," I said gently, trying to sooth Sookie.

"She doesn't have any puncture marks on her neck," she continued in her brazen manner.

Sookie stiffened even more, but still did not move or speak. "I have a companion," I said icily, angered by her brazen manner, and her upsetting Sookie.

"You don't know what you're missing," she snapped.

"Yes, I do," I answered. This fangbanger was not even a dime-a-dozen. Sookie however was not only an assignment from my Queen; she was a bundle of contradictions and intrigue that still held my interest.

The woman stomped off, only to be followed by several more. It was not normal for a vampire to come in with someone. Normally a vampire that came into this bar was looking for a meal, and these humans were used to offering themselves to us.

Still, Sookie remained silent. She was the first human that I had seen show any interest in our kind, yet _she_ did not offer herself to me or anyone else. "You're not talking," I told her, wondering what her thoughts were on these pathetic humans. I noticed that Eric had been steadily keeping an eye on us, though not in an obvious manner. Or should I say keeping an eye on Sookie. Unfortunately, she seemed to have caught his eye, though I hoped it was simply because he knew we were asking questions about his patrons, and not because he had any interest in her. I would be hard pressed to keep her to myself and for the Queen if he wanted her now. We had no formal blood bond, and he was my sheriff.

"There's nothing for me to say," she replied steadily.

I wondered what her motives were. Was she unhappy with my company? "You could have sent them on their way," I told her. "Do you want me to leave you? Is there someone else here who catches your fancy? Long Shadow, there at the bar, would love to spend time with you, I can tell," I told her honestly. I knew she was scared of Long Shadow, so this would only push her back towards me.

"Oh, for God's sake, no!" she answered, as I was sure she would. "I do have to ask them if they've seen Dawn and Maudette in here, though," she continued.

"Do you want me with you?" I asked, hoping she would say yes, so that I could keep an eye on her, as promised.

"Please," she said quietly.

"The vampire over there is handsome; he has scanned you twice," I said, drawing her attention towards Eric. It was probably best to bring her straight to him to ask her questions and get it over with.

"You're teasing me," she said quietly, though she did take the time to look him over. I could feel both attraction and fear coming from her.

"His name is Eric," I informed her.

"How old is he?" she asked quietly. It struck me odd that this was her first question.

"Very. He's the oldest thing in this bar," I deflected. Many older vampires were so very secretive that it wouldn't do for me to give away his age.

"Is he mean?" was her next question.

"We're all mean, Sookie. We're all very strong and very violent."

"Not you," she said disbelievingly. "You want to live mainstream. You're not gonna do antisocial stuff."

_Oh, how right you are_, I wanted to tell her. "Just when I think you're too naïve to walk around alone, you say something shrewd," I said with a laugh. "All right, we'll go talk to Eric." I wanted to get this over with, and I was now assured that she feared him enough, and seemed to still have good trust in me.

Eric started to scowl as we approached, but then looked up and saw Sookie and arranged his face into a carefully blank look. Pam, seated next to him, maintained her general bored expression.

"Bill," Eric said, nodding.

I gripped Sookie's elbow, trying to keep her far enough back from Eric, so that hopefully, he wouldn't catch her scent.

"Who's your friend?" Pam asked, smiling to show off her fang.

"Hi, I'm Sookie Stackhouse," Sookie said in her best southern belle manner before I could make the introduction myself.

"Aren't you sweet," Eric observed, looking Sookie over.

"Not especially," Sookie fired back.

I tensed, fearing that Eric wouldn't take well to her apparent irreverence, but he threw back his head and laughed, Pam joining him.

"Sookie, this is Pam and I am Eric," he said when his laughter had stopped.

I could tell that Sookie wanted to speak again, but it would be best if Eric at least thought she would defer to me, so I squeezed her arm in warning and said, "My friend Sookie would like to ask a couple of questions."

Eric and Pam exchanged bored glances, expecting that Sookie would be like all of the other tourists who came in.

"Like how long are our fangs, and what kind of coffin do we sleep in?" Pam said in that bored tone of hers. _Oh, if only Sookie were like all of the others._ I feared what Eric would do when he realized that she wasn't, for her questions would only give away that she wasn't like the others.

"No, ma'am," Sookie answered courteously.

Pam looked surprised to be called ma'am. Sookie pulled out of my arm quickly and pulled the pictures of the women out of her purse. "I'd like to know if you've seen either of these women in this bar," she said.

Eric and Pam looked them over, I thoroughly expected Eric to give a similar answer to Long Shadow's.

"I have been with this one," Eric said, tapping the picture of the other waitress, and surprising both me and Pam. "She liked pain."

Pam followed Eric's lead and said, "I have seen both of them. I have never been with them. This one," she pointed to the other picture, "was a pathetic creature." _Like all of the others here._

"Thank you very much, that's all of your time I need to take," Sookie said, still polite, but I could see the question in Eric's eyes and knew we hadn't been dismissed yet, so I held Sookie in place.

"Bill, are you quite attached to your friend?" he asked, trying to sound casual, but I could see the interest in his eyes.

She would be fair game if I didn't claim her, but if I did, Eric might decide to ask for her as he was my superior. Still, I had to gamble that in his position as a bar owner in the human world, he wouldn't risk trying to take her from me if I claimed her.

"She's mine," I said firmly, praying that I wouldn't have to report to the Queen that I had lost her.

Eric only eyed her over once more, seeming to try to discover what my interest in her was. I relaxed when he made no comment and bowed to them both before leading Sookie away.

"Gee whiz, what was that about?" Sookie whispered.

"They're older than I am by centuries," I answered. _Does she not understand the danger in that alone?_

"Is that the pecking order? By age?"

I nearly laughed at her apt analogy. _Yes, vampires are rather animalistic._ "Pecking order, that's not a bad way to put it," I told her, holding back a laugh.

Once we had resumed our seats I told her, "If you had been interested, I would have been obliged to let you go with Eric," I explained.

"No," came her sharp reply.

"Why didn't you say anything when the fangbangers came to our table trying to seduce me away from you?" I wondered.

Sookie huffed and said, "Okay, listen up, Bill! When you came to my house, I had to invite you. When you came here with me, I had to invite you. You haven't asked me out. Lurking in my driveway doesn't count, and asking me to stop by your house and leave a list of contractors doesn't count. So it's always been me asking you. How can I tell you that you have to stay with me, if you want to go? If those girls will let you suck their blood—or that guy, for that matter—then I don't feel I have a right to stand in your way!"

She was mine, who asked who to go somewhere didn't matter; I could not see the point in it. Besides, I had no desire to go with any of those fangbangers when she was next to me. "Eric is much better looking than I am," I told her, trying to put it in terms she could understand. "He is more powerful, and I understand sex with him is unforgettable. He is so old he only needs to take a sip to maintain his strength. He almost never kills any more. So, as vampires go, he's a good guy. You could still go with him. He is still looking at you. He would try his glamor on you if you were not with me."

"I don't want to go with Eric," she said. _Exactly._

"I don't want to go with any of the fangbangers."

"So we're all right," she finally said.

"Yes," as far as I was concerned. Things had worked out well … for now.

"Want another drink?" I finally asked her, when the silence had dragged on.

"Yes, unless you need to get back."

"No, this is fine."

I went to the bar to order more drinks. As I was walking back, I could feel that Sookie's uneasiness had strengthened again. I looked up and could see Eric's puzzled fascination with Sookie. I immediately knew he'd tried to glamor her.

"He's gonna know I'm not normal," she confirmed when I returned.

"He's breaking rules just attempting to glamorize you after I've told him you're mine," I seethed. I had not seriously considered that he would try such a thing with me here. Obviously, he was more interested in her than I gave him credit for.

"You seem to be telling everyone that," she muttered.

"It's vampire tradition," I explained carefully, hoping she wouldn't ask for details. "If I pronounce you mine, no one else can try to feed on you," I said, hoping that by focusing on the feeding aspect, that she would be disgusted with Eric for wanting her for those reasons. It worked.

"Feed on me, that's a delightful phrase," she said sharply; she seemed upset with me as well.

"I'm protecting you," I said, exasperated.

"Had it occurred to you that I— " she stopped.

I finished her thought, "You—don't need protection?" Then it hit me, "You are protecting—me?" I placed my hand behind her head, turning it towards me and looking into her eyes, as though the answer might be written there. It wasn't but I still felt the truth.

She blew lightly in my face and said, "Boo." I let go of her and she glanced around the bar. "Boring," she told me. "These people are boring."

She was obviously listening to their thoughts. "Are they, Sookie? What are they thinking?" I wondered.

"Sex, sex, sex," she answered casually.

"What are you thinking about, Sookie?" I wondered.

"Not sex," was her prompt answer.

"Is that so?"

But then, I felt uneasiness from her again. I wondered what she'd heard.

"I was thinking about the chances of us getting out of here without any trouble."

"Why were you thinking about that?" I asked. _Is something wrong?_

"Because one of the tourists is a cop in disguise, and he just went to the bathroom, and he knows that a vampire is in there, sucking on the neck of a fangbanger. He's already called the police on his little radio," she answered quietly.

I had no desire to stay here during a police raid and face their questioning. "Out," I told her, pulling her out of the booth. Before I could consider the implications of the action, I found myself signaling Eric towards the door. Perhaps it was my entire existence as a vampire, the subservience to superiors that caused me to warn him, and therefore begin down the path that would expose Sookie.

As we made our way out the bar, Sookie nodded towards the door to Long Shadow. Though surprised, like most all vampires would be he was cautious, so he immediately left. Eric grabbed Shelly on our way through the door. I knew he would remember that I had left with her one night months ago, and was going to interrogate her about me.

I knew I was going to have to answer Eric's questioning look once we got outside. "There's going to be a raid," I told him.

"How do you know?" he fired back.

I cast about, trying to come up with a plausible explanation.

"Me," Sookie answered before I could stop her.

Eric's intense gaze shifted to her, waiting for an explanation.

"I read a policeman's mind," she muttered. I finally understood the human phrase about digging oneself in deeper.

"That's interesting," Eric said, staring thoughtfully at Sookie. I could see the gears turning in his mind. All of the possibilities that Sookie could serve. "I had a psychic once. It was incredible."

"Did the psychic think so?" Sookie shot back. I felt myself draw in breath, _She just keeps digging._

But Eric only laughed and said, "For a while."

As the sirens got closer, Eric and Shelly slid into his Corvette, and I took Sookie to my Cadillac. I drove a ways and parked in another parking lot, which was empty, needing a moment to gather my thoughts. _Damn it! Could this have gone any worse! Now Eric knows what she is! The Queen will have my head on a platter._

"What—?" Sookie began, but I interrupted her, needing some sort of outlet for my emotions, the frustration and fear at Eric's discovery, the bloodlust at having to run from a fight. I unclipped Sookie's seatbelt and pulled her against me. Regardless of it all, I had taken a woman like Sookie into the very lion's den, and came back out with her by my side. My vampire nature screamed at me to claim her physically; I settled for crushing her lips to my own.

I struggled to control myself, and not frighten her. I simply reveled in the taste of her lips, the softness of them. She responded enthusiastically then she nipped at my lower lip, nearly causing me to lose my self-control. "Sookie," my voice sounded ragged, even to myself. "If you do that any more I'll have whether you want to be had or not," I warned.

"You don't want to," she said, her voice unsteady.

_How can she even question that?_ "Oh, yes, I want to," I said, bringing her hand to the very evidence of how badly I wanted her in this moment.

Lights suddenly were flashing beside my car. "The police," Sookie said. With my attention focused on her, I hadn't even noticed what was going on around us. "Don't let him know you're a vampire, Bill," she warned me. _Was she embarrassed to be seen with a vampire,_ I thought angrily.

The police officer tapped on the window, so I turned on the engine, and ran the window down. I remained silent, trying to settle my emotions so that I could retract my fangs.

"Hello, officer," Sookie said.

"You two know all the shops here are closed, right?" he said gesturing to the strip mall whose parking lot we were in.

"Yes, sir," Sookie answered.

"Now, I can tell you been messing around a little, and I got nothing against that, but you two need to go home and do this kind of thing."

"We will," Sookie continued to answer for both of us. I was still overwhelmed by my emotions, and battling a strong urge to either glamor or drain this human for intruding, so I only gave a stiff nod.

"We're raiding a bar a few blocks back. You two coming from there, by any chance?" Now I really wanted to drain this human, it was none of his concern what we were doing.

"No," Sookie said.

"Vampire bar," the cop clarified.

"Nope. Not us," Sookie said.

"Let me just shine this light on your neck, miss, if you don't mind."

Sookie leaned forward to allow him, saying, "Not at all."

I could feel my hands curl into claws, itching to attack this lowly human for his disrespect to me and mine. He then proceeded to shine the flashlight on my neck as well; obviously unaware I was a vampire.

"Okay, just checking. You two move on now," he told us.

"Yes, we will," Sookie said. Once again, I could only manage a nod. Sookie slid back into her seat and buckled up as I put the car in gear and left.

The drive back seemed even more silent than the drive to Shreveport. After I pulled up to the house, I went to Sookie's door, and held it open for her. I was careful to keep my distance, lest I should not be able to stop myself from pinning her to the hood of my car and having her. The need to claim her after that night was still very strong, as was my frustration with her for Eric discovering her. I was scrambling to devise a plan to keep Eric at a safe distance from her. Perhaps if I could work out a deal with Eric, for him to occasionally use her for her ability, perhaps then both he and the Queen would be satisfied.

Sookie looked at me strangely, and hunched her shoulders together, crossing her arms over her chest. "Are you cold?" I asked her, placing my arm carefully around her shoulders, trying to avoid too much contact with her warm skin.

"I am sorry I have pestered you. I won't ask you for any more," she told me stiffly.

_What does it matter, who asks whom? Does she not see that I can hardly keep from throwing her down and fucking her senseless right now?_ "You—are—incredibly—naïve," I said, struggling to keep my voice even.

"Well," she looked at me with confusion, "I am?"

"Or maybe one of God's fools," I said remembering the story of the solider whose acts were considered brave by some, but the boy was so slow he didn't even realize he was doing something considered brave. He was just behaving as he was driven to. So like Sookie, acting without thought, doing what she was driven to. It also reminded me of one particular solider that I tried so hard to forget.

"I guess," she said sharply, "you'll just have to find out."

Her comment snapped me out of my musings, "It had better be me that finds out," I threatened, an unnatural fear of her going to Eric striking me. I walked her to the door, and placed a light kiss on her forehead, not trusting my resolve to not do any more than that. "Good night, Sookie," I whispered to her.

"Thanks for taking me," she said quietly. She moved away and said, "I'm not calling you again," she added, slipping in the door and closing it before I could respond.

_One of God's Fools, indeed_, I thought to myself.

* * *

A/N:

_One of God's Fools_ is actually a short story from McClure's magazine about a boy solider from the Civil War. If I remember right it was published shortly after the Civil War.

Here's a link to it: http : //books . google . com/books?id=BMMRAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA974&lpg=PA974&dq=%22one+of+god's+fools%22&source=bl&ots=R1a-IW14Hb&sig=ZG0G09T0aME36FsoTfKHiwGLut0&hl=en&ei=Ai_eS4OeB4_C9QTfxtGqBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CBkQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=%22one%20of%20god's%20fools%22&f=false

just take out the spaces in the beginning.

Or Google "One of God's Fools", using the quotes around it, and choose the Google books result one. It's a very short read, and kind of interesting pertaining to Sookie, or I've always thought so.

I'll also post an easier link in my profile.

Anyway, I know, I know, three updates so quickly! What's going on! LOL, I got that one knocked out while I was on a roll, and now, I've got to work on some paid stuff, *sigh*.

Another big thanks to cretin, who caught a few more errors in the last chapter. Apparently, I can't multitask very well anymore. I was setting up interviews when I read over that chapter, and obviously didn't do a very good job. So big thank you for catching those errors, and don't worry, if you can't poke fun at yourself, who can you poke fun at? At least that's my philosophy.

Let me know what you thought of meeting Eric! The next one will be interesting too, the phone call from Eric, and a phone call to the queen! Hmmm…

Sarifina


	8. Artful Conversations

**Chapter 8: Artful Conversations**

When I pulled my car into the drive of my own house, I was greeted by the sight of yet another unwanted guest. At least I assumed Eric was lurking about somewhere, as his Corvette was parked in front of my house. As my sheriff, he apparently felt he had the right to intrude upon my home. I could see lights on inside my house, and I entered to find Eric settled on the sofa in my sitting room, his long legs stretched before him and his hands folded behind his head.

I nodded to him, saying, "I would have assumed you would be detained by that raid at the club." And honestly, I had assumed as much. I knew I would have to answer my sheriff's enquiries about Sookie, but I thought I would have more time.

Eric removed one hand from behind his head to waive the matter away, and then returned his hand to its former position as he leaned even further back into the sofa. He was obviously trying to make it very clear to me just how comfortable he felt intruding on an _underling's_ home. "Pam is quite capable of handling such trifling matters as raids by human law enforcement," he said evenly. He looked me over steadily, and removed both of his hands from behind his head, resting his elbows on his knees to lean forward and regard me from where I still stood in the doorway to the sitting room. "But the discovery of a psychic, in my very own backyard as it were, well that is something I definitely would look into," he informed me, his fangs running out.

I knew there was no backpedaling this train, so I responded quietly, "She's telepathic, not psychic."

Eric ran his tongue over his fang, and looked off into space as he whispered, "Interesting." His eyes snapped back to mine, as he demanded, "Tell me more about her—can she hear all thoughts, even ours?"

"From what I have determined, she cannot hear vampire thoughts at all, and is very limited in reading the two-natured," I answered with a sigh. At least Eric's interest in the girl appeared to mostly be in that of making her an asset … at least for now. I knew I would have to tread carefully, perhaps if we could work out some sort of deal for him to occasionally use her talent, he would be pacified and not demand more.

Eric seemed to be considering this news. "And how did you come to discover this girl?" he finally asked.

I weighed my answer carefully. There was no way I could expose my queen's plan, so I could not say that I had been sent here. "I went in to the local bar one evening to assess the people of this area. As I went to leave that evening with a couple to feed from, Sookie warned me that they were drainers. I soon discovered her particular talent," I carefully explained. This was no less than the truth, simply an edited truth.

Eric hissed at the mention of drainers, sharing the same aversion to them that all of our kind does. "I trust these drainers are no more," he stated.

"I took care of the matter," I assured him.

"Why did you not bring this girl's ability to my attention immediately? She is an asset of my area, therefore it was your duty to inform me," Eric said, rising to his full stature to tower over me. His face was as impassive as always, but I knew he was using his height as a not so subtle hint about my place in the "pecking order" as Sookie so aptly called it.

"I wanted to gauge what the strength of the girl's power was first, sheriff," I said calmly. I knew it was dangerous with a vampire of the Viking's age, but I decided to risk it, and pushed a subtle influence towards the Viking, hoping to calm and sooth him, and convince him of my plan. I continued, "This was why I brought her to your club to test her. I wanted to see how she worked in a safe environment, and what safer environment then my own sheriff's bar?"

The Viking seemed to relax ever so slightly, but then his demeanor snapped back in place again. He eyed me curiously, and I wondered if he was aware of my subtle influence. If I'd had breath, I might have been tempted to hold it, but the Viking addressed another matter instead, much to my relief. "And yet, you did not seem pleased to announce the girl's talents to me and you have claimed her for yourself. Much of what you say doesn't quite add up Compton," he said thoughtfully, while stroking his chin.

The Northman began moving slowly about the room, as though casually observing what little décor there was, but I knew he was thinking. "The girl intrigues me. As such, I decided to lay claim to her. You can hardly blame me for taking such a valuable asset for myself," I explained truthfully. What surprised me was how much the girl was beginning to interest me. I would have to examine that thought later.

Eric kept up the pretense of studying the few items I had placed on the mantle. "The laws of our kind have changed since the revelation," he said in a bored tone, never looking away from the mantle. "In the past I would have been quite justified to have simply taken the girl from you to use for higher purposes." I felt myself stiffen ever so slightly, the corner of Eric's mouth turned up as he noticed this. "But now that we are living amongst the humans, we must all strive to _mainstream_. As such, many of the old ways must fall to the wayside, as the humans say. It would no longer be acceptable to simply take the girl from you, not that I would have done such, even in the past. It is never wise to treat _loyal_ subjects unjustly. We all must evolve our ways if we wish to thrive in this new era." I knew his words would need to be carefully considered at a later time.

Turning, Eric faced me more fully. "You are correct about one thing though, that girl is intriguing, but for now I will abide by your claim on her, provided you fulfill one condition," he told me, once again stepping closer.

The risk of trying to influence the old vampire again was too strong, his defenses were too high at the moment, so I bowed my head and quietly asked, "What would that condition be, sheriff?"

"You will allow me to use the girl's talent should I have a need for it," he informed me, looking me straight in the eye.

I schooled my face to remain emotionless, but inside I was rejoicing. My plans would still be in place. I would keep the girl, and when the queen was finally ready to receive her, I could bring her to New Orleans without interference from the sheriff. "You have my word, so long as the girl is mine, she will help my sheriff when needed," I solemnly promised.

The Viking studied my face, searching for something in my features, but I gave nothing away. "Your story still does not add up Compton, and I will be watching you carefully." He seemed to be considering what else to say, but then he moved to the door and opened it. Before he stepped out he added, "I will discover what it is that you are hiding from me Compton, make no mistake about that. I will let you know when I have need of the telepath," and with that, he vanished through the door.

After I heard his car fade away, I felt myself relax. I did go outside to make a quick check of the property to ensure that the Viking had not left anyone to watch me, but I found no one. Once I returned inside, and was sure that no one was nearby, I decided to make a call that I had been putting off. After tonight, I knew I could put it off no longer. The queen wanted timely reports on this project, and though I was loath to do so, I knew I had to inform her majesty that the sheriff was now aware of the telepath.

Taking out the prepaid disposable cell phone I had acquired for the purpose of contacting the queen undetected, I placed my call. I left a message with Andre requesting to speak with the queen and was assured she would call me back shortly. Sophie-Anne had explained how consumed she was with her current marriage negotiations, so I anticipated that she might not call back until the following evening.

I decided to spend the remainder of the evening going through the house to see what the contractors had done. I informed the contractors that the first priority would be the master suite. Though I had showered quickly to prepare for my evening with Sookie, I had not taken the time to examine the work that had been done. As I took the time to examine the bathroom, I was pleased with how quickly the contractors had installed new plumbing fixtures in the bathroom. The shower stall had yet to be replaced, but the old tub had been replaced with the large jetted tube I had requested.

Soaking in a tube had been pleasurable to me even as a human, but now it was even more so. The feel of the warm water was soothing, and at times, I could almost feel human again. I decided to fill the tub and relax for the evening. Surely, after walking out of the lion's den with the lamb still at my side and me unscathed, and then having the oldest lion follow my home, I deserved such a simple pleasure.

As I relaxed into the tub however, Sophie-Anne chose to return my call. I was perturbed at the interruption, and disappointed to not have more time to formulate my responses to Sophie-Anne, but I was also resigned to having yet another artfully worded conversation.

"Hello my queen," I answered solemnly.

"You called with an update, William," Sophie-Anne replied, delving straight into business.

"Yes, I have … important news regarding the girl," I said carefully.

"And what would this news be?" Sophie-Anne asked with an edge in her voice.

"I had to escort the girl to Fangtasia this evening—" I began, but was cut off.

"You took her _**where?**_" Sophie-Anne fairly shouted through the line.

"Your majesty, let me explain," I said in an even voice, knowing it was best to remain calm, though visions of the queen's various favorite forms of torture were floating through my mind—Waldo's image strayed through my thoughts before I batted it and all of the others away.

"I'm waiting," Sophie-Anne said impatiently.

"I fear it would have been inevitable for the Viking to find out about the girl, my queen. Sookie was also determined to go to Fangtasia, trying to discover the murderer of several local fangbangers. She would have gone with or without me, and at least with me, she was under my protection." I pause to let this sink in with the queen.

Sophie-Anne's silence draws out for a time before she finally speaks. "And does the sheriff suspect that she is other?" she finally asks quietly.

I sigh and say, "Yes, Sookie warned him of an impending police raid on the bar and thus exposed what she really is to him. However, the sheriff is respecting my claim on the girl and has let her be, with the condition that she occasionally do work for him," I rush to explain.

Again, Sophie-Anne remains thoughtfully silent, so I continue. "I think this may be a good thing your majesty. Doing a few jobs here and there for the sheriff will further expose her to our world and ready her for working at court," I explain.

Finally, Sophie-Anne speaks, "You claimed the girl, and the Northman is respecting your claim?"

"Yes my queen."

"I feared her allure would be too much and that she too would ensnare a vampire. The Northman is much too old for me to take the girl from," Sophie-Anne says so quietly she almost seems to be speaking to herself. I wonder briefly at her cryptic words, but before I can make sense of them, Sophie-Anne continues. "Perhaps you are correct and this might be a good thing. However, I think it is more important than ever to step forward with our plan. I want that girl firmly under your thumb so that the Viking cannot persuade her away. Form a blood bond with the girl if necessary. I will not be able to take the girl from a vampire as old as the Viking if he bonds to her first, and I am still not wholly trusting where the Viking is concerned. He is a good sheriff to me, and an excellent warrior with no apparent political aspirations beyond sheriff, but I cannot risk having to fight such an old vampire for the girl. Queen or not, we are nearly the same age, and the Viking is much respected here and abroad."

"Of course my queen," I answer. Some part of me wonders at the statement that she "cannot fight a vampire as old as the Viking" and what she is implying, but before I can latch onto the thought, she continues again.

"What are your next plans with the girl?" Sophie-Anne inquires.

I have been carefully considering this since leaving Sookie earlier, and though I am reluctant to do it, I know the next best move will be to focus on speaking at her grandmother's club. I explain this to my queen.

"Excellent," Sophie-Anne purrs. "My Hadley informs me that the girl is quite fond of their grandmother. Impressing the old woman will go a long ways towards impressing the girl."

I explain that I had decided as much as well.

"Continue on this course, William, but I warn you again, beware of the Viking. Him I would be hard pressed to take the girl from," Sophie-Anne cautions before she hangs up.

I wonder at her parting words. Does that mean a vampire of my own age would be easier to take the girl from?

* * *

A/N: I know, I know, shame on me. Where have I been? I'm sorry guys, the past couple of weeks have been really hectic. I've been subbing at the elementary school a bunch towards the end of the year here, then I got sick (personally, I'm blaming all of those little kids for that!) and I've been struggling the last two and half weeks to get over that, as well as write articles, and try to ride horses. Although it's been raining almost daily for the last three weeks! It's suppose to be fairly dry where I live too, and it's been raining several inches at a time, which causes a lot of flooding around here! At least my place is on a pretty good hill, no flooding for me, but the neighbors at the bottom of the valley are sure getting some flooding!

The rest of this summer might be pretty erratic as far as posting goes. If it ever dries out some, I hope to be riding my horses more, and then I'll be rodeoing too. So updates will come when I find downtime to write, no promises as to when that will be.

I know that was kind of a short chapter, but I think it was some important conversations between Bill and his superiors. I know some of you were expecting Bill and Eric to come to their agreement about Sookie going to Eric if anything happened to Bill, but I don't think we're there yet. I think, like Bill, Eric is just intrigued with her right now. I think right now Eric just sees her as a valuable asset and nothing more. Their conversation starts laying some of the groundwork though for that agreement. Sophie-Anne's conversation I think also gives us some insight into her, and her decision about keeping Eric out of the loop.

Anyway, next up is the DotGD meeting.

As always, let me know what you think!


	9. Breathe In Breathe Out

**Chapter 9: Breathe In Breathe Out**

For the next several nights, I concentrated on my presentation for the Descendants of the Glorious Dead. The night of the meeting had finally arrived, and I was satisfied with what I planned to say. I had not seen Sookie since I brought her back from Fangtasia, but planned to go by the Stackhouse home early to escort Sookie to the meeting. Shortly after first dark, I made my way to her home and waited for her to ready herself, watching her from the shadows of the tree line.

When it appeared that Sookie was nearly ready, and Adele had already left, I started to make my way back across the cemetery to retrieve my car to pick Sookie up. The sound of a pickup driving down the driveway caused me to turn back around. To my surprise, I watched as the shifter jumped out, strode up to the door, and rang the doorbell. Even from my vantage point in the tree line, I was able to clearly hear both Sookie and the shifter.

Sookie answered the door saying, "You're welcome to come in, but I think we just have time—"

At the same time, the shifter said, "I'd like to sit and visit, but I think we just have time—"

If it had been possible, my blood would have been boiling at the sound of their shared laughter. Sookie was mine; the shifter had no business interfering with what was mine. I continued to watch as they made their way to his pickup and got in. Sookie was at least dressed conservatively in khaki slacks and a silk blouse. But I could tell from her nervousness that Sookie was being courted by the shifter.

"Need a boost?" the shifter had the audacity to ask.

Luckily for him, Sookie answered, "I think I got it."

I took to the air and flew after the pickup, tracking the shifter and my human. My darker nature was determined to track my human and take her back from the shifter who was poaching what was mine.

Finally, the shifter pulled into the parking lot of the Community Building. Again, I watched from the shadows as the shifter and my human exited the pickup and walked together into the building. I could not stop myself from tearing a tree from the ground and throwing it through the woods. Sookie was _mine_; she had no business allowing the shifter to court her!

I wanted to take my darker nature out on something—someone—I wanted to put as much distance between Sookie and myself as possible—to hell with speaking at her grandmother's club. But I soon came back to my senses. I knew I could not allow my anger and jealousy to rule me. I remembered Sookie's words, that she would not call me again. Perhaps this game she was playing was simply punishment for her perceiving that I had not courted her properly.

I waited until my usual cool demeanor was back in place. I would continue with my plan to impress Adele. Surely, this would win me favor with Sookie. The stinking shifter may think that he could take what was mine, but I would continue to play this game that Sookie had started, and I would play it smart.

Looking down at my watch, I saw that it was past time for the meeting to begin. In my raging temper, I had not noticed the passing time. I made a quick call to explain that I would be late, sighting "car troubles", which the humans were quick enough to believe.

Before arriving at Sookie's house, I drank some TrueBlood, but after chasing Sookie, and uprooting a tree, my thirst had returned. I knew I should drink some more before I entered the Community Building as I would look quite pale currently, but I knew I was already late, so I simply made sure my suit was still clean and made my way in.

When I entered the Community Building, I quickly found the woman who would introduce me, and made my apologies for being tardy. As I made my way to the front, I quickly found Sookie in the crowd. My anger was still vying for control of my emotions, but with difficulty, I kept my face impassive and simply gave a small bow to her. For once, her emotions seemed subdued, and she only gave a slight nod of acknowledgement back.

After I was introduced, I began speaking about the war. I had prepared notes, and was determined to fulfill my promise to Adele, but I was also trying to skirt around anything that might be too personal. Though it was not likely to be needed, I used some subtle influence to ensure that the humans would be receptive to me. I focused on speaking about the living conditions and troop movements. I knew nothing I spoke of was any different than could be found in a history book, but the human's still seemed to be satisfied with my accounts about food shortages, lack of clothing and blankets, and the many deserters we suffered.

Eventually, an elderly human raised his hand and asked, "Sir, did you by chance know my great-grandfather, Tolliver Humphries?"

As the sounds of sniper fire once again filled my mind, I was transported to that day once again. The sounds would haunt me for the rest of my existence.

Every part of me screamed to not answer this human's question. My instincts demanded to keep this part of my past to myself. I looked at Tolliver's descendant again. Tolliver had been a good man, too good for his fate. He had made a noble sacrifice, and that sacrifice deserved to be told.

"Yes," I finally answered, struggling to keep my voice even and emotionless. I tried to steady myself by focusing on my breathing. _Breathe in—breathe out._ "Tolliver was my friend." I knew I had not completely succeeded, and could hear my voice close to breaking. I had never spoken of Tolliver's death. Not even to my wife after I had returned home, but Tolliver's descendent deserved to know the kind of man his ancestor had been.

"What was he like?" the human prompted, his voice breaking as well.

"Well, he was foolhardy, which led to his death," I explained ruefully. "He was brave. He never made a cent in his life that he didn't waste," I continued, actually remembering fondly all of the times Tolliver lost money to me as we passed time between moving to various battle encampments with various games of chance.

"How did he die? Were you there?" the human asked.

I struggled not to sigh and answered, "Yes, I was there. I saw him get shot by a Northern sniper in the woods about twenty miles from here. He was slow because he was starved. We all were. About the middle of the morning, a cold morning, Tolliver saw a boy in our troop get shot as he lay in poor cover in the middle of a field. The boy was not dead, but painfully wounded. But he could call to us, and he did, all morning. He called to us to help him. He knew he would die if someone didn't." I looked out at the crowd; they were reverent in their silence, showing the proper respect for poor Tolliver.

"He screamed and he moaned. I almost shot him myself, to shut him up, because I knew to venture out to rescue him was suicide. But I could not quite bring myself to kill him. That would be murder, not war, I told myself. But later I wished I had shot him, for Tolliver was less able to withstand the boy's pleading. After two hours of it, he told me he planned to try to rescue the boy. I argued with him. But Tolliver told me that God wanted him to attempt it. He had been praying as we lay in the woods.

"Though I told Tolliver that God did not wish him to waste his life foolishly—that he had a wife and children praying for his safe return at home—Tolliver asked me to divert the enemy while he attempted the boy's rescue. He ran out into the field like it was a spring day and he was well rested. And he got as far as the wounded boy. But then a shot rang out, and Tolliver fell dead. And, after a time, the boy began screaming for help again."

The woman who had introduced me, Mrs. Fortenberry I believed, quietly asked, "What happened to him?"

"He lived," I answered, forever cursing all of the Bellefleurs that the boy lived while Tolliver died. I cursed myself as well, I should have stopped Tolliver—the boy would have lived regardless. Tolliver had died in vain. "He survived the day, and we were able to retrieve him that night," I finished.

My mind remained in memories of Tolliver and regrets of what I should have done that day. I could hardly recall what other questions had been asked, nor could I recall what my answers had been, but I knew no more of them had been very personal. Eventually, the last human had asked their questions, and I was able to begin the process of making my way out. Many of the humans however wished to greet me and thank me for speaking.

I wanted to approach Sookie, but she and the shifter made their way out before I could shake the humans. My anger ratcheted up again, but I forced myself to remain. I would escort Adele home instead, I would continue to impress Sookie's grandmother and I _would_ win the girl. I would not lose this battle to a mere _shifter_.

By this time, most of the humans had drifted away, and I made my way over to Adele whom was loading leftover food and empty serving dishes into her car.

Picking up a stack of empty serving platters, I said genially, "Let me help you carry this burden Mrs. Stackhouse."

Adele picked up some coffee thermoses, and tittered, "Now, I thought we were past that. I'll have to go back to calling you Mr. Compton if you can't call me Adele."

More and more, I found myself genuinely liking this human. For the first time all night, I felt a real smile come to my face and I replied, "Of course, Adele. I hope your club was pleased with my talk."

"Oh, Bill. It was wonderful, to actually hear a real account, from someone who was actually there! It was _so_ exciting!" she exclaimed as we loaded her car.

After a few more trips, everything was loaded, and Adele's was the only car left in the parking lot. Looking around Adele said, "I know you had car trouble Bill, but how'd you get here?"

Smiling faintly, I replied, "Oh, we vampires have always managed to get around rather quickly, even before cars were invented."

Adele thought for a moment then said, "Well, if you're headed home, you might as well ride with me."

I nodded my appreciation. "That would be delightful, Adele."

After we had been driving for a few moments, Adele broke the silence. "You know, Sookie has never really had much attention from any of the males around this area. At least not any in the wanted variety," Adele said conversationally.

Her eyes never left the road, but I found myself watching her curiously. "Oh?" I said noncommittally.

"Sookie has always been a good looking girl, but she's pretty inexperienced when it comes to interacting with members of the opposite sex." She chuckled ruefully, adding, "Well, I suppose that's not strictly true, she's pretty inexperienced when it comes to actually interacting with _anyone_. Sookie's never been able to have too close of friends because of her ability you see."

I felt my eyebrows draw together in confusion. _What does this have to do with anything?_ I wondered to myself.

Adele glanced over at me, noting my confusion, she continued on, "What I'm saying is that she may be a grown woman, but in a lot of ways, she's still a little girl. She's never really learned how to handle having friends, let alone dealing with the attentions of the opposite sex. I can see that with her getting involved with vampires and other things that she might finally be finding her place in this world, but you're going to have to be patient with her. She'll need to find where she fits into this world yet, and learn how to behave in it." I was startled at Adele's statement. Did this mean that she knew that there was more out there than humans and vampires alone?

Adele shook her head sadly. "I've tried to do my best for Sookie, but there's only been so much I _could_ do for her. Growing up with her ability has matured her beyond her years in a lot of ways, but don't you forget that a big part of her is still a little girl. I have no doubt that she'll grow into a fine woman one day, but she's gonna need help along the way," she finished nodding at me.

Adele started to drive past her own driveway to bring me home first, but I insisted that I would help her unload the car first, explaining to her that it was no trouble for me to run across the cemetery afterwards.

We pulled up behind the house, unloading the car in silence. I found myself contemplating Adele's assessment of Sookie. Adele knew her better than any other, so I knew I would have to carefully consider her words.

I made short work of unloading Adele's car, not allowing her to carry anything in. My mind was still going over her words when I quietly bid her goodnight. Before I could turn and exit the kitchen, Adele thoroughly astonished me by gently kissing my cheek as she bid me goodnight in return. I was still standing planted in her kitchen; I'm sure looking quite shocked as Adele toddled towards her bedroom, chuckling lightly all the way.

Shaking my head, I could do nothing but make my way across the cemetery to await Sookie's return. After weighing Adele's words, I had decided it would be best to wait to approach Sookie and give her time and space. Perhaps it would be best to wait until tomorrow night to call on Sookie again. Not only would it give me more time to contemplate the situation with her, but it would also give her time to contemplate the shifter. From what I could faintly feel from her, she was not having a particularly good time, and actually felt somewhat uncomfortable.

Yes, it might be best to call on her tomorrow night.

* * *

I had changed into jeans and a t-shirt, and was working on some of the finishing touches of my resting place when I felt a cold terror sweep through Sookie. I had actually been contemplating making my way back to her house to make sure that she had gotten home safely.

Immediately I dropped my tools and raced across the cemetery. Long before I reached the house, I could hear Sookie's desperate screams and smell the overwhelming scent of blood. It was not Sookie's blood, and I could only assume it was Adele's.

Flinging the door open, I found Sookie standing over the body of her grandmother. A quick glance was all it took to determine that she had been murdered. Blood spattered the kitchen, and from the looks of the many stab wounds on her chest and arms, Adele had put up a good fight.

An overwhelming guilt descended on me as I gathered Sookie in my arms and stepped between her and the kitchen. If I hadn't been constructing my resting place at the time it was going on, I would surely have heard her being attacked. But not even vampire hearing would have allowed me to hear her screams over the circular saw I was running.

The smell of the fresh blood was quickly getting to me, and Sookie struggling in my arms wasn't helping my bloodlust any. Moving quickly, I picked Sookie up and carried her into the sitting room. Because of the bloodlust, my words came out harsher than I meant them to, "Sookie! Shut up! This isn't any good!"

My stern words seemed to have the desired affect though, and she stopped screaming uselessly.

"Sorry," she said in a voice devoid of emotion. "I am acting like that boy."

I stared at her, my mind obviously not making the connection between her murdered grandmother and some boy.

"The one in your story," she explained in that flat voice.

I ignored her comment, saying, "We have to call the police."

"Sure," she replied, but did not move a muscle.

"We have to dial the phone," I elaborated. I knew it would be disastrous when the police found me here, but it would be even worse if I was the one to call this in.

"Wait. How did you come here?" Sookie asked in confusion.

"Your grandmother gave me a ride home, but I insisted on coming with her first and helping her unload the car," I explained gently. I could sense that she wanted another few moments to think about anything else before she had to make this call.

"So why are you still here?" she asked. I wondered if she thought I was responsible for Adele's death, but her gaze held only curiosity, not recrimination.

"I was waiting for you," I said, knowing that I would have come over before much longer to ensure that the shifter had returned her home.

"So, did you see who killed her?" she asked, never once questioning or doubting that I could have been involved.

"No. I went home, across the cemetery, to change," I explained regretfully. I knew that just as I regretted not stopping Tolliver that day, I would regret leaving Adele alone tonight. I should have waited here for Sookie to return.

Sookie looked down at my clothing, and upon taking it in, broke into a fit of laughter. "That's priceless," she said through her laughter. In truth, nearly all vampires were quite fond of irony, and especially before the Great Revelation, got a great deal of enjoyment out of wearing t-shirts like this one, my Grateful Dead t-shirt. I hardly thought it was an appropriate response from Sookie, given the circumstances, but the thought had no sooner crossed my mind and then Sookie was crying again. Looking down, I saw that several buttons were undone on Sookie's blouse. I did not want her to be exposed when the humans came, so I carefully redid the buttons.

I sat quietly with Sookie huddled into my chest as she called the police and then made several calls, trying to track down her womanizing brother. A deep anger bubbled up at the thought of her brother, who should have been around to protect the women in his life, instead of trying to solicit loose women. I listened absently as Sookie asked the bartender at Merlotte's to relate to him that she would not be in to work for the next several days. It came as no surprise when the shifter arrived not much after the idiot Detective Bellefleur.

Bellefleur had eyed me disdainfully as he made his way into the house to take in the crime scene, but I made every effort to avoid a reaction and remained sitting with Sookie on her sofa. I absently stroked her back, trying to offer what comfort I could, but memories of my daughter and wife plagued me. Sookie's grief was nearly overwhelming and I couldn't help but wonder if that was how they felt when I died.

Jason finally arrived, and when Sookie explained to her brother that their grandmother had been murdered, they boy collapsed to his knees. Not wanting to intrude on their shared grief, the shifter and I moved silently out to the front porch.

"Could you smell who done it," the shifter asked me quietly.

I shook my head, "The smell of fresh blood was too overpowering and Sookie was in no condition for me to leave her and search the house for other scents."

The shifter nodded in quiet understanding, adding, "Too late now."

I glanced back at all of the humans in the house, and simply nodded my own agreement.

After some time had passed, both Sookie and her brother joined us on the porch, I assumed to stay out of the way.

"What happened?" the brother finally questioned.

"I came in from the meeting," Sookie related very slowly. "After Sam pulled off in his truck. I knew something was wrong. I looked in every room, and when I got to the kitchen I saw her," she said, once again in that flat voice.

"Tell me," her brother prompted.

She shook her head as though to refuse telling any more, but I could feel her gathering her courage, and she continued on. "She was beaten up, but she had tried to fight back, I think. Whoever did this cut her up some. And then strangled her, it looked like." Her face fell down towards her lap. "It was my fault," she said in a small voice.

"How do you figure that?" the brother asked dully. I could not believe he couldn't make the connection. Just how many murderers did he think were running around Bon Temps, Louisiana?

"I figure someone came to kill me like they killed Maudette and Dawn, but Gran was here instead," she explained carefully.

Her brother seemed to be turning this over in his mind as Sookie continued, "I was supposed to be home tonight while she was at the meeting, but Sam asked me to go at the last minute. My car was here like it would be normally because we went in Sam's truck. Gran had parked her car around back while she was unloading, so it wouldn't look like she was here, just me. She had given Bill a ride home, bit he helped her unload and went to change clothes. After he left, whoever it was … got her," she said, finishing her rather apt narration.

"How do we know it wasn't Bill?" Jason demanded, as though I wasn't sitting only feet away from him.

"How do we know it wasn't anyone?" Sookie questioned, reminding me of Adele's statement that in many ways she was mature beyond her years. "It could be anyone, anyone we know. I don't think it was Bill. I don't think Bill killed Maudette and Dawn. And I do think whoever killed Maudette and Dawn killed Grandmother," she finished.

"Did you know," her brother suddenly said in an indignant voice, "that Grandmother left you this house all by yourself?"

I felt my anger nearly boil over at his careless words. Sookie could have been killed tonight, a fact that in-of-itself left me quiet disturbed, but now her brother was hurling ridiculous accusations at her on top of it.

"No. I just always assumed you and I would share like we did on the other one," she answered slowly and carefully.

"She left you all the land, too," he hurled at her. It was taking all of my determination not to interfere on a family matter between the siblings and shake some sense into the boy.

"Why are you saying this?" Sookie questioned, the quiver in her voice a telling sign that her tears were on the verge of returning.

"She wasn't fair!" he shouted. "It wasn't fair, and now she can't set it right!"

The quiver in Sookie's lip reminded me so much of Sarah's when she would cry, that before I was aware of myself, I had lifted Sookie into my arms and was pacing in the yard with her, as though I was shushing my own child. I was glad to see that the shifter had the sense to sit down in front of her brother and try to calm him down. Sookie's small quaking body in my arms was the only thing that stopped me from throttling the young fool for his treatment of his sister.

"Did he mean that?" Sookie questioned me, looking for all the world like a lost child.

"No," I answered simply. She looked up at me in surprise, so I elaborated, hoping to take her mind and my own off darker thoughts. "No, he couldn't help your grandmother, and he couldn't handle the idea of someone lying in wait for you and killing her instead. So he had to get angry about something. And instead of getting angry with you for not getting killed, he's angry about things. I wouldn't let it worry me."

"I think it's pretty amazing that you're saying this," she said in shock.

"Oh, I took some night school courses in psychology," I answered. I had hoped at one time that they might help me to reconnect with my humanity, but all the seemed to do was highlight not only the depravity of human nature, but the depravity in my own nature.

"Why would Gran leave me all this, and not Jason?" she questioned me.

I truly had no idea as to Adele's motives, other than that Sookie was obviously more needing and deserving of the Stackhouse farm. "Maybe you'll find out later," I answered reasonably.

"Compton," the idiot Bellefleur called sharply from the porch. I had been focused on Sookie and hadn't been paying attention to him.

I was surprised when Sookie growled out, "No."

I looked down at Sookie in surprise, shocked at the almost animalistic response Bellefleur had elicited in her. "Now it's gonna happen," she said, her voice furious.

Regret and angry was rolling off of her in waves, as well as a sense of protectiveness. "You—_were_ protecting me," I said in disbelief when her actions all finally came together in my mind. "You thought the police would suspect me of killing those two women. That's why you wanted to be sure they were accessible to other vampires. Now you think this Bellefleur will try to blame your grandmother's death on me." I was shocked that she had done so much for _me_.

"Yes," was her simple answer.

I took an unnecessary breath, trying to focus my thoughts. _Why, oh why, does everything have to become so complicated with this girl?_

Bellefleur bellowed my name again, apparently expecting that a vampire would adhere to his wishes. I ignored him and spoke quietly to Sookie, wanting her to understand that I would be ok, and could look after myself. "Sookie," I started gently, "I am sure you were the intended victim, as sure as you are."

I could feel her shock at my bluntness, but I forged on. "And I didn't kill them. So if the killer was the same as their killer, then I didn't do it, and he will see that. Even if he is a Bellefleur."

Sookie and I began walking back towards the house. Her tumultuous emotions were distracting me, so I didn't see Jason's actions coming until too late. He stood in front of his own sister and slapped her. Sookie fell hard to the ground, and I finally recovered enough to crouch protectively in front of her. It took every ounce of willpower I had not to drain that sad excuse for a human right then and there.

The shifter got all of the satisfaction out of tackling him and shoved his head into the ground several times for good measure. I was considering draining the idiot boy anyway, when Bellefleur stepped in between us saying in a surprisingly steady voice, "Compton, back off. He won't hit her again."

I could feel my body taking deep, unnecessary breaths, desperately trying to quell the beast within me. I focused my eyes on the weeping boy in front of me, reminding myself that Sookie had just lost her grandmother and would not likely be able to stand the loss of her brother in the same night. _Breathe in, and breathe out,_ I kept reminding myself to squelch the raging beast. Sookie stood wearily beside me, gingerly touching the already inflamed area of her cheek. Adele's body had already been removed from the house, and tiredly, Sookie trudged back into the house.

I started to follow Sookie inside, but she seemed to sense my presence, and at the door to the house she turned around saying, "No, I just want to be alone." She looked around at the rest of the humans and said in a clear voice, "Everyone please leave, I just want to be alone."

Her blood told me that she meant her words with great conviction, so I merely nodded, kissed her forehead, and turned around to ensure that everyone would leave. After I heard the porch door close behind me, the humans seemed to agree with Sookie's request and slowly left.

Jason seemed to still be sitting on the porch—still in a daze. Perhaps the shifter had knocked him into a stupor, not that he hadn't been before. Slowly he stood, and looked back towards the house as though he meant to go in. "Go home," the shifter growled. The boy only nodded and got in his pickup and drove away.

I was somewhat surprised that the ignorant police of this town didn't see that Sookie was still under threat of an attack, but I supposed that they simply didn't care that she should be in protective custody. More than ever, I cursed my very nature that the sun would tear me away from Sookie, and I would be unable to protect the girl in the daylight. I hadn't felt this ineffectual since I had first been turned and was coming to grips with being a vampire. It was as though I was having to accept all of my limitations all over again.

Looking to the shifter, the only one left now, I grudgingly admitted, "I can only watch over Sookie until sunrise."

The shifter seemed to agree with my silent treaty as far as our struggle over Sookie was concerned, saying, "I'll head home until first light to get a few hours of sleep and be here during the daytime to watch her."

We nodded our silent accord, and parted ways. The shifter headed to his pickup to get some rest, and I moved into the shadows of the tree line, wondering how in the world my life had been turned upside down. I was standing in the shadows, trying to come to terms with my desire to protect a girl who seemed just as determined to try to protect _me_. Everything about this girl seemed to intrigue me more.

* * *

A/N: Well, here's another chapter. I actually really struggled with what direction to take this chapter. In my mind, I've always questioned if it was possible for Bill to have discovered who the killer was at this point and glamored him into killing Adele. After all, he was conveniently absent, and only across the cemetery, and let's face it, I love Adele, but the story really couldn't have progressed with her still there. Sookie had to be on her own, fending not only with the killer, but in the new Supe world that she was being drawn into. And no relationship, with Bill, Eric, or anyone else was going to progress with her grandmother still around. Plus, like I said, Sookie in a lot of ways is still very much psychologically at this point, a little girl. In some ways, her Gran getting killed was the equivalent of her getting tossed into the deep end, and being told to sink or swim. It's a tough way to have to suddenly grow up, but I think it needed to happen.

Anyway, in the end I decided, and maybe my own bias got in the way because _I_ like Adele so much, that Bill did too, and wouldn't be part of her death. At least he's not directly, he is in the sense that Sookie's involvement with him was all that it took to enflame Rene, but that's another story. I've been arguing with myself for weeks now what to do when I got to this point, but this was how it flowed from my fingers, and I think I'm pretty satisfied with it, but like I've said all along, this is all just my interpretation of things.

Also, FYI, I do have a wordpress page now, so all of my stories will be backed up there—though, I'm still trying to get the hang of that site. It's the homepage link on my profile page, or here's a link too: www dot sarifina85 dot wordpress dot com

Just change the dot (s) to . (s) and take the spaces out!

As always, let me know what you think! I'd love to hear what your guys' thoughts are. Do you think it was possible for Bill to have been involved? Or is it only my own twisted thoughts that jumped in that direction, lol!


	10. The Start of Something

**Chapter 10: The Start of Something**

For the next several days, I worked with the shifter, taking turns watching over Sookie to ensure her safety. Diane, Malcolm and Liam had been back once more two nights after Adele's death, but after once again seeming uninterested in their visit, they became bored and left. Diane had pushed again for information about Sookie, but Malcolm respected my claim on Sookie and made Diane back off. I was thankful that their visit, though irritating, went by without incident.

The night before Adele's funeral was to be held, I asked the shifter to watch Sookie longer into the evening and stopped by the local funeral home to say my own good-byes to Adele. She had been an interesting human to say the least, and I found myself oddly regretful that the funeral would not be held at night so that I could attend. I was surprised to see that I wasn't the only one visiting the funeral home that night. The human that had introduced me at the Descendants of the Glorious Dead meeting, Mrs. Fortenberry, had also been there saying her own private farewells. It shouldn't have been so surprising that so many others seemed as fond of Adele as I had been. She truly seemed to have been a remarkable human.

I was surprised at how normal it felt to chat with Mrs. Fortenberry. It felt strangely normal to speak to the human woman about the progress that was being made on my home. I found it even stranger how excited I felt at the prospect of filling my new kitchen with human things for Sookie. As I looked at Adele's still form, I told myself that my sudden need to have Sookie closer was simply my need to fulfill a last promise to Adele that I would protect the girl, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to make myself actually believe this.

I kept my distance from Sookie for the next several days, knowing that Sookie needed time and space to grieve for her grandmother. No one had come near Sookie's home again, so I could only hope that the killer had decided to leave Sookie alone, though I figured it was more likely that the killer was simply bidding his or her time.

Three days after the funeral had passed and I had not seen Sookie except from a distance. I had not heard from her either. I finally decided to approach her house and be the one to initiate contact. I was surprised when Sookie answered the door wearing only a long t-shirt. Her golden tresses hung in wet, tangled masses; obviously, she had just gotten out of the shower and was headed for bed.

"Come in," she said gesturing into the room with a hand that held a towel.

"Are you sure?" I questioned, worried she would think the timing of my visit inappropriate.

She said simply, "Yes."

As I came in, I took in the sight of many piles what I assumed were her grandmother's belongings and many boxes. "What are you doing?" I asked.

"I cleaned out the bedroom today," she answered. "I think I'll move into it." It made sense; I'm sure being the bigger room.

I was surprised at how much being close to Sookie increased the grief I was feeling from her. As strong as her grief was, there seemed to be such a strong, hollow feeling coming from her. I remembered that hollow emptiness well. It had plagued me for years after my turning. I had suffered not only my own mortal death, but I had lost my wife and family as well. That hollow emptiness had threatened to swallow me whole in the years after my turning, after the sharp grief at the loss of my family had dissipated. Sensing these same emotions coming from Sookie left me searching for any way to relieve her pain.

"Let me comb out your hair," I finally told her, remembering how it always seemed to sooth my sister when we quarreled or she was upset. Try as I might, I could not lie to myself, it soothed me as well to simply be near Sookie and have an excuse to touch her.

She nodded, so I sat on the sofa, pulling the ottoman into position in front of me. She took her place in front of me, and I scooted forward, my legs framing hers on either side of her thighs. Slowly and carefully, I began to work the knots and tangles out of her long thick hair. I could both hear and feel her relax into me as I silently worked.

"I used to do this for my sister, Sarah," I finally admitted to her, after searching for something to say. She had relaxed into me, but I could still feel the hollowness in her and I wanted to distract her from it, focus her mind on something. "She had hair darker than yours, even longer. She'd never cut it. When we were children, and my mother was busy, she'd have me work on Sarah's hair," I remembered aloud.

"Was Sarah younger than you, or older?" Sookie asked quietly. She still seemed to almost be in a trance.

"She was younger. She was three years younger," I answered, surprised at how easy it seemed in some ways to talk about my human life. Perhaps Sookie wasn't the only one in a trance.

"Did you have other brothers or sisters?"

"My mother lost two in childbirth," I answered trying to remember that time of my life. I had tried so hard to forget everything about my human life, to close the door on what had been before. "I lost my brother, Robert, when he was twelve and I was eleven. He caught a fever, and it killed him. Now they would pump him full of penicillin, and he would be all right. But they couldn't then. Sarah survived the war, she and my mother, though my father died while I was soldiering; he had what I've learned since was a stroke." _So few people really appreciate what blessed times they live in now_, I thought to myself. "My wife was living with my family then, and my children ..." It was as though once started, I was powerless to stop myself from reliving these painful memories with Sookie.

"Oh, Bill," Sookie said sadly. I could feel her pity for me, and it was worse than the hollow emptiness she had been feeling.

"Don't, Sookie," I said, my tone coming out more coldly than I intended. I continued working on Sookie's hair, trying to distract myself from thoughts that I had unintentionally dredged up. It was both comforting and terrifying how many memories of my human life Sookie tugged out of me.

After I had used Sookie's towel to blot the excess moisture from her hair, I began to run my fingers through it, fluffing it out away from her head. I couldn't seem to stop myself from my need to touch her, but from Sookie's appreciative, "Mmmm," I didn't think she was complaining.

Simply touching her warm skin had my body hovering on the edge of arousal since my skin first made contact with hers, but the satisfied and content feelings from her, not to mention her moans of pleasure, were making me impossibly hard. Her pleased groans and moans were pushing me over the edge, and simple caresses and running my fingers through her hair were no longer enough. I wanted more. I _needed_ more.

Slowly—giving her enough time to stop me—I lifted her hair away from her neck. Just as carefully, I placed my mouth at the nape of her neck. The smell was her usual sweet fragrance, but straight from the shower, it was somehow fresher, untainted by the other contaminating smells of the world. Her sweet scent alone was nearly intoxicating. I carefully moved from the nape of her neck, and took her earlobe in my teeth. Knowing how sensitive this particular organ is, I lingered there and laved it with some attention as I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her firmly back against me. I needed to feel her body, her heat, flush against my own cool body.

Wanting to see her eyes to gauge her reactions, I carefully lifted Sookie and turned her around. Her legs straddled my own comfortably as she settled into my lap and bent her head to mine in a kiss. It took all of my willpower to go slow, knowing she was inexperienced. I didn't want to rush her; she seemed like a prize that was well worth a little patience. Her kisses were lacking in experience, but it had always been my belief that some women were born with an innate skill for it, and Sookie surprisingly seemed to be one. Quickly she settled into an easy rhythm, the movements of her tongue easily matching my own. My hands wanted desperately to wander, to explore the uncharted territories of her hot flesh. But I willed them to stay put at her side. I would have patience.

Our dueling lips were quickly leading me to the point of no return, and I had no intention of taking Sookie on a tacky, flower-patterned sofa. I stood with her body still encasing mine. "Where?" I asked her.

She pointed down the hall to the room she was clearing out, so I quickly carried her into the room and laid her on the bed. Stepping back, I quickly removed my clothes, my eyes never straying from the luscious body that would soon be laid out before me. As Sookie watched me undress, I could feel some of the embarrassment she was feeling, but her eyes never strayed from my form as she drank me in. Once I was bared to her, she quickly drew her nightshirt from her body and tossed it to the floor, baring herself as well.

My eyes roamed over her curves, taking in every inch of them. If my heart beat, I think it might have been pounding with the anticipation of soon having that body beneath my own. I lowered myself onto the bed beside her, eager to have my body close to hers.

"Oh, Bill," she said, her voice sounding as anxious as my blood was telling me she felt, "I don't want to disappoint you."

I was touched at her worry, but something told me that all of her baser, primal skills were as innate as the skills of her kissing. "That's not possible," I whispered. I had heard every line that women had used, seen every trick they employed, but somehow I knew this demure, shy response from Sookie was no game. Somehow, I doubted very much that Sookie either knew or played any of those games that women played with men.

"I don't know much," she confirmed softly.

"Don't worry. I know a lot." I started to run my hands down her body, caressing my way to the source of her heat. Her body jerked away from mine and I wondered if she was bothered by the coolness of my skin.

"Will this be different from doing it with a regular guy?" she asked anxiously.

"Oh, yes." Her eyes sought my own out in question. "It'll be better," I assured her, bending down to whisper in her ear. I enjoyed the shiver of excitement that my response sent through her.

Almost tentatively, she reached out and began to caress my erection. I couldn't contain a moan of pleasure from escaping at the feel of her soft, warm hand delicately touching me. Soon she grew bolder, and wrapped her hand firmly around me, gently caressing me as my moans gave way to growls. My body was tense with need, but I was determined to hold on to my patience.

"Now?" she whispered, her own voice shaking with desire. I knew I wouldn't be able to hold myself back from claiming her for much longer.

"Oh, yes," I answered, rolling my body over hers. My hand eased down between us, eager to ensure that she was fully prepared for me; she was wet with her need, so I began to slowly push into her—until I hit resistance. I stopped moving forward with great effort, knowing instantly it could only mean one thing.

"You should have told me," I said gently, though it was taking nearly all of my effort to hold myself back.

"Oh, please don't stop!" she begged.

"I have no intention of stopping," I informed her grimly, knowing that I might well not be able to stop now. "Sookie … this will hurt," I told her.

Sookie remained resolute, and pushed her hips up some. It took nearly all of my willpower not to delve into her; instead, I slowly pushed my way forward. I could see her holding her breath and biting her lip through the pain. I hated that this moment was to be marred by even a moment's pain.

"Darling, how are you?" I asked, wanting to know if she was all right to continue. My muscles were shaking from the effort of holding back, she felt so tight and warm around me that I wanted to thrust in and out of her with wild abandon, but I refused to bring any woman pain during sex, especially not Sookie.

"Okay," she answered. After another moment to adjust, she said, "Now," and bit hard into my shoulder. The exquisite pain and just the possibility of her taking my blood in such a manner broke the resolve I had been desperately clinging to. With a gasp, I pulled back and plunged into her welcome heat again. There was no holding back now, but Sookie quickly began to move her body in time to my own thrusts, meeting my body, her muscles clenching me and pulling me deeper. I finally let my hands roam her body freely, feeling the exquisite heft of her breasts, the soft supple skin of her thighs, my hands took it all in as my mouth sampled her neck, her chests, her ears, and back to her mouth again.

I could feel that we were both nearing our climax. Sookie's pants became more ragged as her hands found their way to my hips. Digging her nails into my flesh, she began pulling me closer, desperate to take all of me. "Oh, please, Bill, please!" she cried out.

The delectable pain of her nails in my flesh urged me onwards, and shifting my hips, I found the perfect angle. As she began to reach her peak, I sank my fangs into her neck, drawing on her delicious blood, and reaching my own peak. "Yes!" she cried out as I drew on the wounds at her neck.

My body collapsed on top of hers, a sated heap. When I had finally recovered from the intoxicating combination of her body and her blood, I moved to the side to allow her to breathe more deeply. As I leaned up on my elbow and caressed her stomach, I said in wonder, "I am the first." I knew she had been inexperienced, but I had never dreamed that such a beautiful form was completely untouched.

"Yes," she answered shortly.

"Oh, Sookie," I said, bending to kiss her throat. I was shocked at this development. What did it mean that she had given herself first to _me_?

"You could tell I don't know much, but was that all right for you? I mean, about par with other women at least? I'll get better," she said in a quiet rush.

"You can get more skilled, Sookie, but you can't get any better," I told her honestly, remembering the way she had bit into my shoulder, and the way her body had fully encased mine. "You're wonderful."

"Will I be sore?" she wondered.

"I know you'll think this odd, but I don't remember. The only virgin I was ever with was my wife, and that was a century and a half ago …" I tried to remember the details of our wedding night and the next day, "yes, I recall, you will be very sore. We won't be able to make love again for a day or two," I recollected to her. Her body would need time to heal from the tearing.

"Your blood heals," she observed shyly.

I was shocked and excited by the ingenuousness of her simple but shrewd observation. "So it does," I replied. "Would you like that?"

"Sure. Wouldn't you?"

"Yes," I answered, barely able to contain my excitement. I had already begun to resign myself to only having her once this night, but her eagerness fed my own. I brought my arm to my mouth and bit into it. I wasn't surprised when Sookie cried out at the action, but I was too eager to stop. I quickly dipped my finger into the blood and began rubbing the blood into Sookie to repair the tearing. I made sure that the blood was applied well so that she would heal properly.

"Thanks, I'm better now," she said when the tearing had healed.

I kept my finger moving, hoping to bring her to my own state of arousal. Her idea of using my blood to heal her was almost like a vampire's thoughts, and even the feel of myself biting into my own arm had reminded me of the feel of her blunt teeth biting into my shoulder earlier and had brought me to quite the state of excitement and arousal.

"Oh, would you like to do it again so soon? Can you do that?" she questioned eagerly.

I was amused at her almost childlike enthusiasm. "Look and see," I told her as I guided her hand down to my arousal.

"Tell me what you want me to do," she whispered back.

I settled onto my back pulling her towards me. "I want you to take me into you, take all of me," I whispered huskily to her. I wanted to see her body moving over mine.

Eagerly, she climbed onto me and began to take me in. I was certainly right; she had an almost innate sense of how to move her body to bring both of us the most pleasure. I gently used my hands to steady and guide her movements, but her body instinctively knew how to dance this dance. I knew I shouldn't take her blood again, but as I was nearing my peak, I sat up to bring my chest into full contact again with hers, desperate to feel her warm flesh flush against mine. As I was nipping at her neck, she cried out, "Do it!" and I couldn't hold back, I drove my fangs into her flesh, once again sampling her sweet blood.

Stretched out in the bed behind her, I couldn't stop my fingers from running up and down the skin of her upper arm. I could feel her slowly drifting off to sleep, and I was basking in the simple feel of her warm skin beneath my fingertips. As sunrise was finally nearing, I eased my way out of her bed and back into my clothes.

As I made my way across the cemetery, I couldn't help but feel pleased with the progress I had made. Surely, with tonight's development, I had finally planted myself firmly in Sookie's life. It should prove easy to continue gaining her trust from this night forward. But I couldn't help the uneasy thought that perhaps in taking her for her first time I had done something wrong, or that the timing was wrong.

I had enjoyed every exquisite moment of her body beneath mine—and above mine—but then why did I feel like I had wronged her?

* * *

A/N: Well, here's the next chapter of _Bill_. It was surprisingly hard to write a sex scene from a male perspective. Hopefully I did it justice though, but please let me know what you thought of it!

If you haven't seen, I've started an Eric and Sookie centric story too. I'll be working on both of those stories now. I'm having a blast writing this story, but I always feel like I need to put so much time into planning and thinking about how to write this one since I'm trying to write directly within cannon, so it's kinda fun to write this new story that's post _Dead in the Family_. It gives me a lot more freedom to take the story wherever I want. (Though I'm not 100% sure where that is yet!) Anyway, give it a look too if you haven't and let me know what you think.

Please let me know how I did writing lemons from a male POV!


	11. The Games We Play

**Chapter 11: The Games We Play**

The following night, I decided to go to Merlotte's and check on Sookie. I could feel that she was working and slightly annoyed, though nothing I was concerned about.

I entered the bar quickly, but slowed down as I neared Sookie, not wanting to startle her. I could tell that the eyes of every human and the shifter were on us. I had a strong desire to claim Sookie as my own, but knew she would not approve. I settled for bringing her hand to my lips and placing a gentle kiss on the back of it.

"How are you this evening?" I whispered to her, enjoying the sight of her shiver at my words.

"A little …" she couldn't seem to find the right words.

"You can tell me later," I told her. "When are you through?" I questioned. I had thought she might be done by now.

"Just as soon as Susie gets here," was her answer.

"Come to my house."

"Okay," she said with a smile. The moment I had entered the bar, her scent had nearly overwhelmed me, and I could not keep my fangs from running down. Nor could I put them away with the sight of her blood pooling so deliciously beneath her skin. I allowed myself to only place a gentle kiss on her cheek, and made to leave.

As I was about to walk out, Diane and Malcolm walked in, throwing the doors open with great force to draw attention to themselves. Not that their attire wouldn't guarantee attention on its own. Malcolm's leather pants and chainmail shirt and Diane's one-piece jumpsuit was not the normal attire for Bon Temps. I dreaded whatever reason they were there for, but knew that with all of the humans present, I would have to tread carefully.

Both of them came forward and kissed me on the mouth, not an altogether out of the ordinary act between vampires, but I could tell humans were upset by the act. However, I kept still, hoping to keep the peace and get them to leave quietly. I carefully moved to Sookie's side and put my arm around her, to not only show Diane and Malcolm, but to also show the humans that I aligned myself with Sookie.

"So your little waitress is still alive," Diane said loudly, trying to draw everyone's attention and trying to goad me. "Isn't that amazing."

Knowing Diane's cruel nature towards humans, I saw my opening and decided to take it to make sure the local humans felt no sympathy for Diane or Malcolm. "Her grandmother was murdered last week," I said quietly.

Diane took the bait. "Is that right?" she asked and laughed loudly. I felt the humans bristle. Adele was very well liked and I knew Diane had gone too far.

Moving closer to Sookie, Diane ran her fingernail under her chin and said, "When's someone going to kill you, baby?" Sookie swatted her hand away, and though I was ready to intervene, Malcolm grabbed Diane before she could launch herself at Sookie.

Still holding Diane, Malcolm said offhandedly, "Bill, I hear this town is losing its unskilled service personnel at a terrible rate. And a little bird in Shreveport tells me you and your friend here were at Fangtasia asking questions about what vampire the murdered fangbangers might have been with."

I wondered what Malcolm's true concerns were. If he was worried Sookie might uncover the death of humans at their hands, a fate I'm sure "Jerry" had met, or if perhaps Northman had sent them here. We had only questioned Long Shadow and Eric and Pam. Was Northman sending them to watch me, or did he send them in the hopes of driving Sookie from me?

With a more serious look on his face, Malcolm continued, "You know that's for us to know, no one else. Some of us don't want to go to —baseball—games and …" Malcolm seemed to cast about for another human activity, "barbecues! We are Vampire!" I could see and feel Malcolm placing a subtle glamor over the bar, but before I could speak or act to stop it, Sookie stepped forward and stomped on Malcolm's foot. Had it not been so dangerous, I might have smiled at Sookie's bold move. Nevertheless, Malcolm's attention was diverted to baring his fangs at Sookie and the glamor was broken.

"Why don't you just get outta here, mister," one bold human spoke from his place at the bar. I think it was the human who Sookie said was once married to and once again dating the redheaded waitress. The humans were becoming increasingly agitated and I knew Diane and Malcolm would have to leave now. I carefully placed myself in front of Sookie again to prevent her from further angering Malcolm and to protect her from Diane who was still glaring at Sookie.

"Well, if we're no wanted …" Malcolm said, struggling to keep his voice calm. Things had not gone as he wanted, and I could see the rage in his eyes. "These good people would like to eat meat, Diane, and do human things. By themselves. Or with our former friend Bill."

"I think the little waitress would like to do a very human thing with Bill," Diane started, but Malcolm shoved her out of the bar before she could further upset the humans.

"I think maybe it's best if I leave," Sookie told me quietly. I nodded my agreement, not wanting her to stay with Diane and especially Malcolm in foul moods. I made a quick circuit around the bar to assure myself that they had actually left. I wanted to drive Sookie to my house, but knew she needed her car and settled for having her follow me there.

As we went into the house, I showed Sookie the progress that was being made in restoring the house. I was pleased with the new ceilings, wallpaper, and floorings. I could see that Sookie was impressed with the progress as well. Sookie was astonished by the size of the bathroom and looked at me questioningly. I had increased the size of the original bathroom by taking out the pantry, for which I had no need.

"I like to shower," I said in answer to her look. I pointed out the clear shower stall in the corner. "And I like to lie in warm water," I explained, pointing to the large tub in the center. I had added potted plants which added pleasing scents to the room, especially in the humid air.

"What is that?" Sookie asked in awe.

"It's a portable spa," I told her, proud that she was impressed with my improvements thus far. "It has jets you can adjust individually so each person can get the right force of water. It's a hot tub," I clarified.

"It has seats," she said as she looked in.

"Maybe we can bathe together?" I suggested. I had been picturing her in this tub since I picked it out. I could see Sookie's cheeks flush and I could hear her heartbeat increase, as I smelled her desire.

I stepped closer to Sookie, and began pulling her shirt from her shorts. I had been craving Sookie's blood and her warm touch since the moment I woke. "Maybe now?" I asked her.

"Oh, well … maybe," she demurred.

"Have you missed me?" I asked, wanting to know that she missed my touch as much as I missed hers. I began to unbutton her shorts and pull them down.

She answered with a prompt, "Yes."

I laughed in delight at her honest answer. "What did you miss most, Sookie?" I asked as I knelt and began to untie her shoes.

"I missed your silence," she answered without pause.

"My silence," I said. I was surprised how much it upset me that she did not miss me or my touch.

"Not being able to hear your thoughts. You just can't imagine, Bill, how wonderful that is."

"I was thinking you'd say something else," I said, trying to keep the disappointment from my voice.

"Well, I missed that, too," she admitted.

"Tell me about it," I said, needing to know that she desired me as I desired her—disturbing though the thought was. I ran my hands up the warm, smooth skin of her thighs and pulled her panties down.

"Bill! I'm embarrassed."

Indeed, I could feel her embarrassment, but I was determined to see that she would be more comfortable with me. "Sookie, don't be embarrassed with me. Least of anyone, with me." I stood and pulled her shirt from her body, followed by her bra. I began to lightly caress her breasts, relishing their softness and warmth.

"I'll try," Sookie conceded, looking down.

"Undress me," I commanded, desiring to feel her hands on my skin.

She began to unbutton my shirt, and removed it easily, but her hands began to tremble and she had difficulty removing my belt and unbuttoning my pants. In her frustration, she tried to move her fingers faster and faster.

I moved her hands to my chest, saying, "Slow, Sookie, slow." The feel of her hands on my chest was heavenly, and as she relaxed and became bolder, she began moving them slowly about and caressing me. As her hand found my nipple, I carefully placed my hand behind her head and pressed her to me, desiring more of that delicious pressure and pain. Almost without my noticing, her hand returned to the button on my pants and they slid to the floor.

I eventually helped her into the tub and settled her in front of me. "Shall I bathe you first?" I asked her.

"No," she said as she turned around. "Give me the soap."

* * *

I decided I would spend the next evening taking Sookie out. I knew Sookie had been spending much of her free time at home since Adele's murder or working and I decided it might be best for Sookie to have something else to focus her attentions on. A more pleasing diversion.

Shortly after first dark, I went to Sookie's door and found her moving boxes about.

She smiled almost shyly. "Hi," she said quietly as she motioned me through the door.

"I thought perhaps I might take you out to a movie tonight," I informed her.

I was surprised at how much it pleased me to watch her face light up. "Sure, that sounds like fun!" she said excitedly. She hurriedly left for her bedroom to change. I watched her change from her doorway, and had to fight a smile that threatened to pull at my lips when she caught me watching her and flushed deeply. She made no comment however and gently took my hand to lead me outside. I had driven my car over, and Sookie lead the way to it. I gently placed her in the passenger seat and drove towards Ruston to the movie theatre there.

The movie was a sci-fi about aliens. I found the plot to be very weak, as were the special effects. Having lived and seen more terrors than most humans could comprehend, I found the entire experience of the movie to be rather pedestrian and was disappointed that more efforts had not been made to use computer animation. Great strides had been made in technology in recent years and I had been hoping to see them showcased more.

After the movie was over, I took Sookie to a restaurant to supply her nutritional needs. It was unsettling to watch her eating that which I could never again taste, but it was unfortunately necessary. The smells of the foods she was eating were overwhelming to my sensitive senses, but I continued to ignore the offensive smells that seeped through my nostrils.

It was surprisingly satisfying to play the part of engaged and interested "boyfriend" with Sookie. For the first time since my turning, I thought it might be possible to live a relatively "normal" life—whatever that sentiment meant. I found myself for the first time since my human life also feeling something else. Hope. Not only did it seem possible to have a normal life—I _hoped_ for it.

After dinner and our movie, I drove straight to my house. As I parked the car, Sookie quirked her eyebrow at me questioningly. With a smirk, I said. "My new bed was just delivered during the day, I had hoped you would help me inspect it and see to its comfort level."

"Okay," Sookie quietly responded.

I got out of the car and moved to Sookie's door at vampire speed to help her out. She didn't say anything but she shook her head at my sudden appearance. Taking Sookie's hand, I slowly led her through my house and up the stairs. In preparation for this evening, I had already made the bed with flowered sheets. I remembered that my wife had been fond of soft colored calicos and floral patterned fabrics so I hoped it would appeal to Sookie as well.

This time Sookie was a little more forward in her actions, but was still hesitant. I could see that it would not be long however until she was more comfortable with her natural skills. She was still shy and flushed when I removed her clothes, but with trembling hands, she hesitantly moved to remove my own clothing.

Later, after both my hungers were sated, and Sookie was sated along with me, I lay on my side trying to think of inconsequential things to talk about. Some of my fondest memories of my wife had been of quiet conversations we had in our bed, after the trials of the day were over. I knew we often spoke of weighty matters, but mostly we had spoken of little things. We began by talking about the movie we had watched and I shared with Sookie my memories of the various movies I had seen since their inception.

Then we began speaking of local political matters. Sookie had seemed surprised when I told her I planned to vote in the upcoming parish elections by absentee ballot. I was looking forward to participating in the democratic proceedings of the area. Vampires did some things by democratic vote, but mostly the sovereign of the area was the ultimate ruling power.

Eventually I turned our conversation to our youths. Living in my family home again had brought about many long buried memories of my human life. At times, the memories were haunting, but I was learning to embrace and even enjoy these memories. Knowing Sookie was only in her twenties, I knew she was much closer to her youth than I was to mine. I wondered what her childhood was like so many years after my own.

"Did you ever play 'show me yours' with your brother?" I wondered remembering the games children of my area had played. "They now say that's normal, but I will never forget my mother beating the tarnation out of my brother Robert after she found him in the bushes with Sarah."

"No," she responded quickly, but her voice sounded off and I could feel her anxiety and fear at the question.

"You're not telling the truth," I said.

"Yes, I am," she said. But I could feel that there was more to her statement.

"Not your brother, then. Who?" I questioned, knowing that someone else was the cause of her fear.

"I don't want to talk about this." I could see her hands ball into fists and her fear and loathing ate at me. It surprised me how much I wanted and _needed_ to know who had caused such feelings in Sookie.

"Tell me, Sookie," I coaxed, wishing once again that I could glamor the girl. I ran my hand along her stomach in a soothing manner.

"I had a … funny uncle," she finally answered, her nervous smile straining at her lips. I did not understand why a humorous uncle should be the cause of such feelings in her.

In a distant voice, she explained, "That's an adult male relative who molests his … the children in the family."

My thoughts raced to my own children and to my younger sister. I had been taken from my own family, unable to protect them. What if such horrors had happened to them? I was unable to do anything for my own family, but I would do everything in my power to avenge Sookie.

"And someone did this to you? How old were you?" I questioned through clenched teeth. Even in my vampire life, I had thought it inexcusable to harm children.

"Oh, it started when I was real little," she explained, her breathing hitching. She slid onto her side and drew her knees up to her chest. I was surprised at how small of a ball she curled into. "I guess I was five," she said, speaking faster and faster in a panicky voice. "I know you can tell, he never actually, ah, screwed me, but he did other stuff." Her hands were pressing in front of her face, shielding her gaze from me in her fear. "And the worst thing, Bill, the worst thing, is that every time he came to visit, I always knew what he was going to do because I could read his mind! And there wasn't anything I could do to stop it!" Her hand clamped over her mouth as she sobbed, and then she rolled onto her stomach.

I wasn't sure if she would welcome me touch in comfort, but I couldn't stop from placing my hand on her shoulder. It was as much to comfort and calm myself as it was to comfort her. I wanted to know more, so I continued questioning her. "This was before your parents died?"

"Yes."

"You told your mama? She did nothing?" I asked, trying to keep from sounding as incredulous as I felt.

"No. She thought I was dirty minded, or that I'd found some book at the library that taught me something she didn't feel I was ready to know," she answered, still not looking at me. "I wonder that she and my father seemed happy," she continued. "They were so different." She rolled back onto her side facing me. "As if we aren't."

I wasn't sure if she was trying to change the subject, but I brought her back to the subject at hand. "Did you tell your father?"

"Yes, right before he died. I was too embarrassed to talk to him about it when I was younger; and Mother didn't believe me. But I couldn't stand it anymore, knowing I was going to see my great-uncle Bartlett at least two weekends out of every month when he drove up to visit."

"He still lives? I found myself needing to know. I knew in that moment that if the man still lived that I would end him.

"Uncle Bartlett? Oh, sure. He's Gran's brother, and Gran was my dad's mother. My uncle lives in Shreveport. But when Jason and I went to live with Gran, after my parents died, the first time Uncle Bartlett came to her house I hid. When she found me and asked me why, I told her. And she believed me." I could feel Sookie's relief, and I was surprised at how much relief I myself felt that Adele had protected Sookie.

"So he's a Stackhouse, too?" I questioned, needing to know his name so I could find the man.

"Oh, no. See, Gran became a Stackhouse when she married, but she was a Hale before."

I began to plot how I would find the man. Surely, it would not be hard to find him on the internet or to glamor a few locals and find him. Though I could not explain why, I found myself vowing to avenge Sookie's suffering.

"Here, I'll leave," Sookie suddenly said as she slid out of bed. She began bending down and picking up her clothes. I couldn't bear the thought of her leaving right now. I could feel her inner turmoil and I needed to sooth her.

Taking the clothes from her hands, I said, "Don't leave me now. Stay."

"I'm a weeping ol' thing tonight," she told me as two tear trickled down her cheeks, the first and only ones to fall, I noted.

I wiped the tears away, and then traced their tracks with my tongue, savoring their sweet taste. "Stay with me till dawn," I told her. I needed to take away at least some of the pain she was feeling.

"But you have to get in your hidey hole by then."

"My what?" I asked, surprised.

"Wherever you spend the day. I don't want to know where it is!" she said, holding her hands up. "But don't you have to get in there before it's even a little light?"

"Oh, I'll know. I can feel it coming," I promised her, feeling touched by her concern.

"So you can't oversleep?" she pressed.

"No."

"All right. Will you let me get some sleep?"

"Of course I will," I told her, giving a mock bow. "In a little while," I continued with a smirk. She lay down on the bed and held her hands out to me. "Eventually," I assured her.

_What is it about this woman that drives me to such protective needs? Surely she shall be the death of me._

* * *

A/N: Happy Fourth everyone! No matter where you are or where you're from, I hope you have an awesome day!

Sorry it took a while to get this out. I want to kind of take my time with this story and make sure I get it just right.

If you're reading my other story, _A Change Is Gonna Come_, hopefully I'll get another chapter out before too long. I got kinda bogged down with work, family and the holiday.

As always, let me know what you thought.


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